Department for Transport

Tractors

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to implement increases to agricultural tractor and trailer weights.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Following my Hon Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Hon Member for Devizes’, announcement on 17 October, we intend for initial changes to weights and speed limits of agricultural tractors and trailers to be introduced by March 2015. The change in weight limits is to increase the maximum weight for tractor and trailer combinations from 24.39 tonnes to 31 tonnes. A further phase, planned for introduction before harvest 2016, will include the consideration of further increases in weights and speeds, including maximum laden trailer weight limits and a roadworthiness test.

Tractors

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues on the restrictions arising from agricultural tractor and trailer weight rules.

Claire Perry: The Department is considering how to best communicate the changes due next Spring, nearer the time of implementation. It will also consider whether the information about the regulatory framework available from a variety of organisations could be usefully improved by more information on GOV.UK.

Roads: Eastleigh

Mr Michael Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide funding for the Chickenhall link road in Eastleigh constituency.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department supports any investments in infrastructure that support growth.   Through the Growth deals agreed this summer, Government funding for this type of scheme has passed to the Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs).   It would be for the promoters of this scheme to work with the Solent LEP to take it forward.

Cycling: Cheshire

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of funding allocated by the Government for cycling infrastructure since 2012 has been designated for Cheshire East.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Cheshire East received funding in 2012 totalling £3.509m as part of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund for their programme ‘Growing Smarter Travel Choices in Crewe’. This programme contains projects that will deliver cycle improvements, including improved off-road cycling routes, new cycle parking and enhanced way-finding. These works sit alongside a range of other transport projects, such as bus infrastructure improvements, traffic management enhancements and improved walking facilities. We do not hold a breakdown of how Cheshire East has proportioned their overall funding across these various transport modes. Further, in 2012/13, Cheshire East received funding from the Department’s Linking Communities fund of £400k for work extending the Connect2 scheme and £200k for pedestrian and cycle improvements on Macon Way. Through the Cycle Safety fund, Cheshire East was awarded £413,170 in 2013/14 for the West Street/Victoria Avenue junction. These latter schemes are all based in Crewe.

Driving: Young People

Mr David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has any evidence on the effect of telematics insurance on the driving behaviours of young people.

Mr David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on the introduction of graduated driver licensing for young people.

Mr Robert Goodwill: My officials have been in touch with the motor insurance industry and academic experts to discuss telematics. We are keen to further understand the intrinsic effects that telematics products can have on the driving behaviour of novice drivers - that is why we are undertaking Government led research to further strengthen the independent evidence base in this area.   With regards to graduated driver licensing, I have received a number of representations on this subject and I expect to have meetings with both a Member of the Scottish Government and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety to continue to discuss this important matter shortly.

M1: Northamptonshire

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how long the roadworks on the M1 approach to and after the Watford Gap will be in effect.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the roadworks on the M1 approach to and after the Watford Gap (a) started and (b) are expected to finish.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost is of the roadworks on the M1 approach to and after the Watford Gap.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what contractors are carrying out roadworks on the M1 approach to and after the Watford Gap.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the reasons are for the time taken to complete the roadworks on the M1 approach to and after the Watford Gap.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will investigate the reasons why nobody was working on the roadworks on the M1 approach to and after the Watford Gap on 7 November 2014 at and around noon.

Mr John Hayes: The M1 Junction 19 to 16 Central Reserve Barrier scheme commenced on site in August 2014 and is due to be completed July 2015. The M1 Junction 19 to 16 Central Reserve Barrier scheme is replacing the existing steel barrier with new Rigid Concrete Barrier that is essential maintenance.　 In addition to this maintenance the following work will also be carried out: - removal of the life expired lighting along the M1 J19 to 16 replacement verge lighting will be installed around Watford Gap Motorway Service Area drainage work and installation of traffic management tools i.e. CCTV cameras. The programme was developed during contract negotiations and is being rigorously adhered to by the Contractor.  The Contractor employed to undertake the M1 Junction 19 to 16 Central Reserve Barrier scheme is BMJV, a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Morgen Sindall. The M1 Junction 19 to 16 Central Reserve Barrier scheme construction cost is £35M. There is also a Smart Motorway Scheme under development for this stretch of the motorway. Regarding why there was nobody working on the road works on the M1 approach to and after the Watford Gap on 7 November 2014 at and around noon, it is impossible to know the exact numbers physically on site as operatives have breaks at staggered times. We can confirm the following for numbers of operatives and activities undertaken on that day: - 27 operatives working along with length of works demolishing bridge piers, installing ducts and chambers including inserting a sub-duct to existing ready for reusing. 9 operatives working plant such as excavators along the length of works. 4 operatives conducting testing on ground conditions along with other tests along with length of the works. 2 operatives plus 2 engineers inside launch pit situated in the centre of carriageway (not visible from road level) installing new drainage duct. 6 operatives working on Traffic Management, going the length of the works ensuring the traffic management is maintained. 1 operative removing material from site using vacuum excavator. 7 operatives using planning plant, planning material off the surface down to a required level.　 Activity also requires a number of wagons to haul the material away. BMJV also had 4 supervisors out on site along with 6 engineers inspecting and surveying along with length of the works.   We are undertaking renewal works to the central reserve barrier on the M1 between junctions 16 and　19. We shall also be looking to replace the life expired barrier between J15 and 16 as part of this works.   From environmental and safety studies we are removing the life expired lighting along the M1 between Junctions 19 and 16. Replacement verge lighting will be installed around Watford Gap Motorway Service Area as part of the smart motorways design and upgrade.   This work will support the delivery of a future smart motorway scheme between junctions 16 and 19. This scheme is presently in development and will be subject to completion of statutory processes (including environmental assessments), deliverability and value for money.   Replacement of the old central reserve steel barrier is required as part of our ongoing maintenance programme and will help with the delivery of the proposed smart motorway works on this stretch. The estimated construction cost of these works is £35 million.

Aviation

Mr Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many private flights have entered UK airspace with the intention of landing in the UK in each year since 2010.

Mr Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many private flights have submitted flight plans to National Air Traffic Services in the last four years.

Mr Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many non-scheduled departures from the UK there have been by private aircraft since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport does not collect information on such flights.   All General Aviation flights are required to submit advance information, in the form of a General Aviation Report (GAR) prior to arriving in the UK. This information – including passenger details, flight details and aircraft details – is checked against Home Office IT systems.   All flights must also submit a flight plan before arriving in the UK to NATS (formally known as the National Air Traffic System). Border Force routinely cross references this data with GARs received.   Border Force risk assess all flights which are notified and seek to attend to all high priority flights.

Railway Stations: Opening Hours

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to pages 35-36 of the Stakeholder Consultation: TransPennine Express Rail Franchise, Northern Rail Franchise published in June 2014, what adequate measures he plans to put in place to ensure vulnerable passengers are not disadvantaged and customer service is not affected if ticket office hours are reduced; and whether his plans to reduce ticket office opening hours and enable greater efficiencies in working practices entail job losses or staff redeployments.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The consultation for the Northern and TransPennine Express franchise sought views on how best to serve passengers. Ticket buying habits are changing. Passengers can purchase their rail tickets through a variety of modes – from ticket offices to smart phones. With growing demand for rail travel, many ticket offices will continue to be busy and an important route for passengers to buy their tickets. The Department set out its broad vision for the future of Fares and Ticketing in the October 2013 Next Steps report.   We want train operators to bring forward packages of measures which will improve the services they offer for passengers at ticket offices and at their stations, as well as encouraging more innovation in ticketing technology. This could mean bringing staff out from behind a glass screen into the station where they can be of greatest help to passengers, for example either using ticket machines, or assisting those with disabilities or reduced mobility.   Train operators can propose changes to tickets office opening hours following the arrangements in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement. Public consultation is a requirement for larger changes and train operators would need to consider the broader impacts on passengers’ ability to get access to information and assistance at the station.

Railways: North of England

Mr David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's announcement of 26 October 2014 on a high speed rail link in the north, what plans the Government has to make revisions to current franchising proposals for transpennine rail services.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The TransPennine Express (TPE) franchise specification is currently being finalised and will take into consideration Government policies, Rail North objectives and responses from the consultation held on the TPE and Northern franchises. While the timing of the franchise means it is unlikely to be directly affected by any high-speed rail routes in the north, the franchise is expected to reflect aspirations for faster and better connected journeys across the north of England.

Rolling Stock

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's stakeholder consultation on the Trans-Pennine Express Rail Franchise and the Northern Rail Franchise, published in June 2014, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of continuing to operate Pacer railbuses alongside the requirement to introduce driver-only operation.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In the consultation on the future of the TransPennine Express (TPE) and Northern franchises, we stated that: “on the Northern franchise, we expect to require bidders to set out how Driver Only Operation (DOO) may be introduced onto suitable services. On TPE, this will be left at bidders’ discretion”. DOO is a safe method that is already the working practice on around 30% of existing franchise services. It will only be introduced where appropriate and where suitable technology can be put in place; this is unlikely to be the case for the Pacer units, which would mean that we would not require the introduction of DOO for these trains. In addition, we will require bidders for the Northern franchise to include proposals as part of their bids for the removal of Pacer units.

Rolling Stock

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of modernising Pacer railbuses on the Northern and TransPennine routes after electrification; and what assessment he has made of the potential need to replace that type of rolling stock by 2020 in order to comply with European standards for accessible trains.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport has not assessed the feasibility of modernising Pacer trains – that is for the vehicles’ owners to decide. However, officials have been shown plans by Porterbrook, which owns part of the Pacer fleet, to modernise one Class 144 unit this winter.   The Department has set out the level of accessibility that it expects Pacers to have if they are to remain in service after 2019. It will be for the owners to decide whether to invest in life-extension works, alongside bidders for future franchises, and reflecting the Department’s expectations for rolling stock quality in those franchises.   However, the Government recognises the need for new rolling stock on these franchises and that is why we will require bidders for the Northern franchises to include proposals as part of their bids for the removal of Pacer units.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Claire Perry: The requested information is not available in the format requested and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Department for Transport reviews assets and land and property holdings on an ongoing basis and recently completed the Strategic Land & Property Review to identify capital receipts in SR15. As and when appropriate any land or property holdings deemed surplus are promptly identified and disposed of in accordance with business needs. This has resulted in reductions in the cost of the department estate and improved space efficiency as reported in the annual State of the Estate Report:  2010-112011-122012-13Total cost of the estate£166,096,850£161,858,767£154,653,361Occupied space (m2) per FTE12.411.910.3 In addition the Department for Transport has contributed land capable of delivering 3,752 homes to the Public Sector Land Programme during the current parliament, we are continuing to rationalise our estate, delivering cost savings and better value for money for the taxpayer.

Motor Vehicles: Safety Measures

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) drivers' organisations, (b) driver training organisations and (c) accident prevention organisations on the mandatory carrying in motor cars of high visibility jackets and warning triangles.

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) drivers' organisations, (b) driver training organisations, (c) accident prevention organisations and (d) cycling organisations on the mandatory wearing of high visibility clothing for cyclists.

Mr Robert Goodwill: There have been no discussions with these groups on the mandatory wearing of high visibility clothing for cyclists.   There have been no discussions with these groups on the mandatory carrying in motor cars of high visibility jackets and warning triangles.

Travel

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Claire Perry: (a) This information on ministerial travel is shown below: YearNumber of carsContracted cost2007-084£272,7002008-094£289,8002009-103£282,979 (b) The Department for Transport ministerial travel by car would have been in Official Cars provided by the Government Car & Despatch Agency during these periods.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Big Society Network

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the value was of contracts awarded by his-her= Department to the Big Society Network since 2010.

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the value of (a) financial and (n) non-financial support provided by his-her= Department to the Big Society Network since 2010.

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has provided office space to the Big Society Network since 2010.

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has seconded any officials or special advisers to the Big Society Network since 2010.

Stephen Williams: My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network. Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000. Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.

Public Opinion

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department spent on (a) focus groups and (b) surveys in (i) 2013 and (ii) 2014 to date.

Kris Hopkins: The information is not centrally held in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost, although I am not aware of significant expenditure.As outlined in the answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, Column WA99, we have undertaken qualitative research into the experience of tenants who might take up the Right to Buy, to help inform ways of increasing the take-up of the Right to Buy. We have significantly reduced spending on surveys compared to the last Administration– for example, by abolishing the £4 million Citizenship Survey and the £5 million Place Survey.

Lighting

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to implement a replacement programme to introduce LED lighting throughout his Department's buildings and sites; if he will estimate the proportion of lighting in his Department which is LED; and if he will make a statement.

Kris Hopkins: The Department for Communities and Local Government’s policy for new and replacement lighting is to consider the installation of LEDs, where appropriate, based on an assessment of suitability for the work-setting and of the whole-life cost of the equipment. The Department has made significant improvements to the energy efficiency and cost effectiveness of lighting across its estate through the introduction of LED lighting and compact fluorescent lamps. We have also improved the performance of our lighting systems by installing and actively maintaining passive infra-red and daylight level sensors. The Department continues to review opportunities to install LED lighting across its estate to further reduce energy use, carbon emissions and ongoing maintenance costs. Approximately 7% of lighting within the Department’s buildings is LED (excluding our Marsham Street building which is maintained by the Home Office).

Planning Permission

Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues on the definition of severe in relation to the effect on traffic levels for the use of (a) local planning authorities and (b) the National Planning Inspectorate.

Brandon Lewis: Guidance on undertaking Transport Assessments and Statements has been set out in the Planning Practice Guidance for everyone using the planning system, including local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate. It is for the local planning authority in considering planning applications or the Planning Inspector in considering planning appeals to consider whether improvements can be undertaken within the transport network that cost effectively limit the significant impact of the development on traffic levels, and determine whether the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe.

Mining

Mr Michael Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to ensure that residents can veto proposals to extract minerals in their localities.

Brandon Lewis: Without minerals, the country cannot provide the raw materials for construction, to help build and maintain homes, roads and railway lines. Traditional materials are also needed to maintain historic buildings. Hence, some extraction will always need to take place. However, as with housing, this Government has abolished top-down regional targets in the Regional Strategies, and given councils more power and discretion through Local Plans to determine where development should and should not go.

Private Rented Housing: Codes of Practice

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to publicise its How to Rent guide; and whether his Department evaluated its success in communicating with private tenants.

Brandon Lewis: Holding answer received on 10 November 2014



The How to Rent guide which was published on 10 June 2014, has been viewed on the gov.uk website over 30,000 times and is promoted by a large number of organisations (included Shelter and Citizens Advice) on their websites. We have also used social media to raise awareness of the guide and wrote to all MPs in England asking them to promote the guide amongst their constituents. We closely monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our marketing strategy to make sure the information reaches as many tenants and potential tenants as possible and continue to promote it through working with tenants organisations, the tenancy deposit protection schemes, advice services, landlords, agents and property search websites.

Welfare Assistance Schemes: Bedfordshire

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding he expects to provide to (a) Bedford Borough Council and (b) Central Bedfordshire Council for local welfare assistance schemes in 2015-16.

Kris Hopkins: On 10 October, the Government published a consultation paper which sets out the Government's proposed options on how local welfare provision could be funded in 2015/16. The Government has committed to analysing the responses alongside the findings of the review that the Department for Work and Pensions has recently undertaken into the existing provision, the findings of which were published in a report on 5 November. The findings from both the review and consultation will help to inform future funding levels.

Housing: Greater London

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications for new housing developments in London have been agreed under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in each year since 2008.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 1 September, PQ 206859.

Welfare Assistance Schemes

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which organisations working with and representing vulnerable groups his Department consulted on the future of funding for local welfare assistance schemes in 2015-16.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which organisations working with and representing vulnerable groups his Department have consulted on the future of funding for local welfare assistance schemes in 2015-16.

Kris Hopkins: On 10 October the Government published a consultation on how local welfare provision should be funded in 2015/2016. We welcome views and responses from any interested person or group, including those working and representing vulnerable groups. The consultation closes on 21 November.

Welfare Assistance Schemes

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the results of the Local Government Association survey on local welfare assistance schemes.

Kris Hopkins: On 10 October the Government published a consultation on how local welfare provision should be funded in 2015/2016. The Government will analyse the consultation responses alongside the findings of the review that the Department for Work and Pensions has undertaken into existing provision, which was published on 5 November. The Local Government Association survey will be treated as a formal response to the consultation paper.

Welfare Assistance Schemes

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take after the end of his Department's consultation on the future of local welfare assistance schemes on 21 November 2014; and if he will make a statement.

Kris Hopkins: The Government will analyse the consultation responses alongside the findings of the review that the Department for Work and Pensions has undertaken into existing provision, which was published on 5 November. We will make a decision based on this analysis on funding for 2015/16 in time for the provisional local government finance settlement in December 2014.

Welfare Assistance Schemes

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he informed local authorities prior to the publication of the provisional local government finance settlement that dedicated funding for local welfare assistance schemes would no longer be available from April 2015.

Kris Hopkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer by my noble friend, Lord Freud, of 19 March 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, Column WA31, and also the answers of 3 March 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, Columns WA278-279. On 10 October, the Government published a consultation paper on local welfare support which outlines the Government’s policy stance on this issue; a copy of which is attached.



Consultation Paper
(PDF Document, 346.56 KB)

Housing: Construction

Sir Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, under what circumstances an environmental impact assessment can be requested when a housing development is proposed; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: An environmental impact assessment is required for development proposals which are likely to have a significant impact on the environment. The procedure for establishing whether an environmental impact assessment is necessary (the screening process) is set out in planning regulations and explained in planning guidance (http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/).The guidance makes it clear that only a very small proportion of developments should require a formal environmental impact assessment. We have consulted on proposals to reduce the number of residential cases that local planning authorities have to screen (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/339528/Technical_consultation_on_planning.pdf ) and we will publish the Government's response in due course.

Welfare Assistance Schemes

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on supporting the most vulnerable residents when the local welfare assistance schemes end in April 2015.

Kris Hopkins: The Government are consulting on a range of options for how local welfare provision should be funded in 2015/16. A copy of the consultation is attached.



Consultation Document
(PDF Document, 346.55 KB)

Fire Services

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act to permit fire authorities to contract out the full provision of fire and rescue services.

Penny Mordaunt: We are supportive of fire and rescue authorities looking at new and innovative ways of delivering their services to best meet the needs of their communities.   We have no current plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act and I refer the hon. Member to the previous Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for fire services (Brandon Lewis) speech in an Adjournment Debate on 13 May 2013 (Official Report, column 470 onwards) where he set out the Government's position on mutuals very clearly.

Cleveland Fire Brigade

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Cleveland Fire Brigade about the introduction of public service mutuals.

Penny Mordaunt: I and my officials meet representatives from fire and rescue authorities from time to time on a range of matters. Since becoming Fire Minister in July, neither my officials nor I have had a meeting with Cleveland Fire Brigade to discuss the introduction of public service mutuals.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

North Korea

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to implement Recommendation 1224 of the report from the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (A/HRC/ 25/ CRP.1), in light of paragraph 39 of the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (A/HRC/26/43).

Mr Hugo Swire: Paragraph 1224 of the Commission of Inquiry’s report (A/HRC/25/CRP.1) recommends that states and others should provide more support for the work of civil society organisations to improve the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including efforts to document violations and to broadcast accessible information into each country. In paragraph 39 of his June 2014 report (A/HRC/26/43) the Special Rapporteur notes that the Human Rights Council called on all parties concerned, including United Nations bodies, to consider implementation of the recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry. The Rapporteur also says that he interprets “all parties concerned” as all-encompassing.The UK does not disagree with this interpretation, but it is clear that different parties will have different roles with regard to individual recommendations.The UK has previously funded projects related to the documentation of violations that have been implemented by civil society organisations based in South Korea and we remain open to funding similar projects in the future. We have also worked with international non-governmental organisations and the DPRK’s Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled (KFPD) for example to improve the treatment of disabled people in the DPRK. This complements wider international efforts, like those of the US who support broadcasts into the DPRK.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress he has made in ending sexual violence in conflict since the Global Summit in June 2014.

James Duddridge: The Global Summit set in motion a series of unprecedented practical steps and commitments. In addition, it significantly raised the profile of this issue and placed it firmly on the international policy agenda. Following the Summit, we are now working to implement the outcomes of the Summit and to incorporate efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict into all aspects of international conflict prevention, stabilisation, peacebuilding, security and justice, humanitarian and human rights work. This is based on a programme of political and practical activity that includes: - Implementing the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict through advocacy, capacity building and national application; -Encouraging governments to implement fully in domestic legislation the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and for more states to accede to the Rome Statute and to implement fully its provisions in domestic law; - Pressing governments to do more to support HRDs and building further the capacity of local civil society and grass roots organisations to document and respond to acts of sexual violence and to provide support to survivors; and - Encouraging governments to do more to include sexual violence issues in their doctrine and training and to enforce initiatives on military conduct and discipline. We are also working with and encouraging those governments who announced new plans or commitments at the Summit to implement them as fully and as quickly as possible. This country activity is complemented by ongoing UK support to the full range of multilateral bodies so as to ensure that PSVI and the outcomes from the Summit are fully integrated into their daily activity as well as future international events. During the UN General Assembly in New York in September, I co-hosted, with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on tackling sexual violence, Zainab Bangura, a conference attended by over 120 representatives of countries, international bodies, and Non-Governmental Organisations, to agree concrete steps for turning the Global Summit's conclusions into real change on the ground.

European Union

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on reform of the European Union.

Mr David Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right. Hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and I regularly discuss EU reform with our French counterparts, as we do with all our counterparts across the EU. For example, on 11 September I had productive conversations on EU reform with the French Secretary of State for European Affairs in London, as did the Foreign Secretary on 15-16 September with French Ministers in Paris.

Russia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of EU economic sanctions on the political situation in Russia.

Mr David Lidington: Sanctions imposed by the EU in respect of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea are designed to deter further escalation of the crisis by imposing a cost to Russia for its negative actions, in the hope of reaching a sustainable solution. Economic sanctions on Russia are having an impact. Capital has flown out of Russia, banks are short of finance, and the Russian stock market and Rouble have fallen significantly. Russia’s behaviour has seen it isolated by the international community, including at the UN and by the G8.

Ukraine

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the use of sexual violence in the conflict in Ukraine.

Mr David Lidington: We are deeply disturbed by recent reporting from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of allegations of incidents of sexual and gender-based violence in eastern Ukraine. This includes reports of rape or detention of women at check-points and incidents of the abduction of women, by armed groups, whose whereabouts remain unknown. The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom has also received reports of a rise in domestic violence and human trafficking across Ukraine. The British Government has been in dialogue with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) around protection concerns, including sexual violence, at collective centres for the displaced and have confirmed that the UK’s £700,000 contribution to the UNHCR to repair housing for the displaced is being complemented by the work of UNHCR protection officers. We have consistently raised our concerns about these issues with partners and we will continue to call on all sides to ensure respect for international law.

Nagorno Karabakh

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) his NATO counterparts, (b) the government of Azerbaijan and (c) the government of Armenia on relations between those two countries relating to the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Mr David Lidington: I held meetings with both President Sargsyan of Armenia and President Aliyev of Azerbaijan during my visit to the South Caucasus on 3-5 November 2014. I welcomed the most recent meeting between the Presidents in Paris in October. I encouraged both sides to take a more constructive approach to the negotiations and the need for them to outline and prepare their respective populations for what a peace agreement, based on the Principles outlined by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, would entail. At some point in the future Armenians and Azerbaijanis will need to be able to live together peacefully, as they once did throughout the region, including in Nagorno-Karabakh itself.The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), separately met the Presidents of both Armenia and Azerbaijan in September during the NATO Summit in Wales. During the Summit the US Secretary of State Kerry also held a further round of Minsk Group led discussions between the Presidents.

Macedonia

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent support he has given to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for that country's candidacy to join the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: The Government supports Macedonia’s candidacy to join the EU and welcomes the latest European Commission assessment that, given its cumulative progress over several years, Macedonia continues to meet the political criteria in terms of alignment with the Acquis. However, that positive recommendation is increasingly overshadowed by serious concerns over lack of political dialogue, politicisation of institutions and services, and media freedom. The UK continues to believe that the best way to address these concerns is through the opening of accession negotiations and the scrutiny of individual chapters.Over the coming year, the UK will be calling on all stakeholders in Macedonia to make efforts to resolve its political crisis, increase the space for independent voices, and develop a joint approach to a multi-ethnic society. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also uses its programme tools to contribute to these goals, such as supporting inter-ethnic education, increasing awareness of the concept of hate speech, and making information on government services open to all citizens.

Moldova

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is giving to Moldova to integrate further with the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: We work with EU partners to help Moldova bring its standards of governance in-line with EU best practice, including spreading greater transparency and accountability in the public sector and the promotion of EU standards and values. Key areas include tackling corruption and reform of the justice sector. The UK has led the implementation of a comprehensive EU communications campaign “Winning Hearts & Minds” which informs the public of the benefits of closer approximation with the EU and the benefits of projects that the EU and Member States have delivered in Moldova. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) contributes financially and acts as the lead coordinator. The FCO is working to get the best value from EU Twinning advisers, who provide technical advice in line ministries. In response to the embargoes imposed by the Russian Federation on the export of Moldovan fruit, vegetables and wine, the FCO brought a delegation from the Moldovan Ministry of Agriculture to the UK to demonstrate ways in which Moldova could improve its food safety standards and explore scope for diversifying its fruit and wine markets.

Greece: Macedonia

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve bilateral relations between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: Bilateral political relations between Greece and Macedonia continue to be overshadowed by inconclusive UN talks on the name issue. The UK is not directly involved in this process but we urge both sides to engage constructively to find a mutually acceptable solution as soon as possible. Ahead of the General Affairs Council in December, the UK’s position remains that we do not believe the name issue should be a block to beginning discussions with Macedonia over the negotiating framework for EU accession talks.

Kosovo

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to assist Kosovo join international institutions; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: The UK has led international efforts to secure Kosovo’s membership of international organisations. In consequence Kosovo has become a member of the World Bank (2009), the International Monetary Fund (2009), the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (2012), the Council of Europe Development Bank (2013) and most recently the Venice Commission (2014). The International Olympic Committee have also just granted provisional recognition to Kosovo. This follows lobbying by the UK during the London Olympics for Kosovo to be allowed to participate in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Religious Freedom: Christianity

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy of the needs identified by Open Doors in its report on freedom of religion and the persecution of Christians published in March 2014.

Mr David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) works closely with Open Doors. My Noble Friend, the Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay met with Open Doors in October. We value the regular updates they give us on the situation facing persecuted Christians across the world, in particular through their annual report, published in March 2014. We share the view expressed in the Open Doors report that the persecution of Christians and other minorities worldwide is increasing.Freedom of religion or belief is a human rights priority for the Government. We take action to defend it in individual country situations and through multilateral bodies such as the UN and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We fund project work and have been providing religious literacy training to our staff. We regularly urge governments to ensure the protection of all religious minorities. We encourage them to develop inclusive political systems that are for the good of all citizens.

Serbia: Kosovo

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: The UK has been a strong supporter of the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, which has made significant progress over the last 18 months, including the historic 19 April 2013 agreement on beginning to normalise relations. The UK also helped ensure that the negotiating framework for Serbia’s EU accession process requires comprehensive normalisation of relations before Serbia can join the EU. Elections in Serbia and delays in forming the new Government of Kosovo have slowed the pace of implementation of the 19 April agreement this year, but some recent progress has been made on Integrated Border Management, Telecoms and Energy. In addition to the EU-facilitated Dialogue, Her Majesty's Government is also working on building better relationships, through promoting inter-ethnic commerce, encouraging more inter-ethnic dialogue, confidence building measures, and encouraging greater action from the government of Kosovo in recruiting ethnic-minorities into state institutions.

Kosovo

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encouarge the diplomatic recognition of Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: The UK strongly supports Kosovo’s diplomatic recognition efforts. We have lobbied with international partners to secure further recognitions. This year we are focussing our efforts on the five EU non-recognisers as this presents a major challenge to Kosovo’s progress on its EU path. Additionally we provide support to Kosovo, when requested, with their individual and targeted lobbying efforts.

Macedonia

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help resolve the dispute over the name of Macedonia; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: This a bilateral issue between Greece and Macedonia. The UK continues to urge both sides to engage constructively to find a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue as soon as possible. Ahead of the General Affairs Council in December, the UK’s position remains that we do not believe the name issue should be a block to beginning discussions with Macedonia over the negotiating framework for EU accession talks.

Ukraine

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Ukrainian counterpart on the conflict in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Right Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed the Ukraine crisis with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on 11 November and restated the UK's strong support for Ukraine’s government and people.The Prime Minister, my Right Hon. Friend the member for Witney (Mr Cameron), also discussed the Ukraine crisis with President Poroshenko in the margins of the European Council on 30 August, the NATO Summit on 4 September and at the ASEM meeting in Milan on 17 October.

Uganda

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his Ugandan counterpart on renewed attempts by lawmakers to fast track anti-LGBT legislation through the Ugandan parliament; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge: We welcomed the decision of the Ugandan Constitutional Court in August to annul the Anti-Homosexuality Act and we oppose attempts to reintroduce it. We will continue to raise our concerns with all levels of the Ugandan Government, including with the President, about any legislation that could lead to persecution and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Iran

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent reports of a large explosion at Parchin military complex in Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As reported in the media, there was an explosion and consequent fire at the Parchin military complex, outside of Tehran in early October 2014. The explosion was not in the area of the high explosive test facility at Parchin referred to in IAEA Board of Governors’ reports. Permission for IAEA inspectors to access facilities at Parchin as required remains necessary to address international concerns about the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on Iran's possession of IR-2M model centrifuges.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The IAEA has verified in their 7 November 2014 Report on Iran’s nuclear programme that at Natanz, Iran has 1,008 IR-2M centrifuges installed but not operating, and 172 IR-2M centrifuges installed for research and development.

Iran

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on Iran's commitment to agree a permanent nuclear agreement with the P5+1.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: E3+3 and Iran are both committed to trying to reach a comprehensive agreement by 24 November. But there are still significant gaps between the parties. Reaching agreement by 24 November on these areas will be challenging. It will require Iran to accept reductions in the scale and scope of its programme.

Iran

Dr Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect the rights of Ghoncheh Ghavami in Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are deeply concerned by the detention of Ghancheh Ghavami, and have pressed the Iranian Government repeatedly over her welfare and our concerns about due process in her case. Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed this matter with President Rouhani and Foreign minister Zarif respectively in September. The UK’s non resident Charge d’Affaires continues regularly to raise the case with his Iranian counterpart, including most recently on 9 November. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing consular assistance to Ms Ghavami’s family at this difficult time.

Iran

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of whether Iran's oil exports comply with the terms of the Joint Plan of Action.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We assess that Iran’s oil exports are complying with the terms of the Joint Plan of Action. Recent reports from the International Energy Agency show that deliveries of Iranian crude this year have been in line with the restrictions set out in the Joint Plan of Action.

Iran

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations to the Iranian government he has made about the case of Ghoncheh Ghavami.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The British Government has made repeated representations to the Iranian Government over the detention and welfare of Ghonceh Ghavami, including most recently on 9 November. Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed her case with President Rouhani and Foreign minister Zarif respectively in September. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing consular assistance to Ms Ghavami’s family at this difficult time.

Iran

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with (a) its Iranian counterparts and (b) others on the case of Ghoncheh Ghavami.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The British Government has raised its concern over the detention and welfare of Ghonceh Ghavami with the Iranian authorities on many occasions, including most recently on 9 November. Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed her case with President Rouhani and Foreign minister Zarif respectively in September. The FCO continues to provide consular assistance to Ms Ghavami’s family at this difficult time.

Israel

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the draft UN resolution calling on Israel to withdraw to the 1967 borders by 2016.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are clear that only a negotiated two state solution based on 1967 borders will resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict once and for all. We share the sense of urgency for a two state solution that delivers an end to the occupation and we are looking carefully at the initiative the Palestinians have laid out. We will continue to engage key partners to consider how best to support the parties in resuming serious dialogue, as we know from past experience that deadlines are no substitute for the political will needed to achieve a negotiated dialogue.

Occupied Territories

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the peace process of differences in how the application of planning regulations apply to settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The British Government regularly raises concerns regarding the Israeli building and planning regime in Area C with the Israeli Government. The UK has also called publicly on Israel to take steps towards the transfer of authority over Area C to the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian development in Area C is essential for a sustainable Palestinian economy, yet only 1% of Area C is zoned for Palestinian construction and a large portion of this land is already built-up. The UK will therefore continue to press Israel to ease the current restrictive permitting regime and to transfer control of Area C to the Palestinian Authority as per the Oslo accords. The Israeli Non-Governmental Organisation Peace Now has identified the building and demolition decisions in Area C. Between 2000 and 2007 the Israeli Civil Administration approved only 91 of 1,624 Palestinian applications. During the same period Israeli settlers built over 18,000 homes in the same area. We assess that this does not help efforts towards peace.

Hong Kong

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of reports that tear gas used against protesters in Hong Kong was manufactured in the UK.

Mr Hugo Swire: It appears from public images that some of the tear gas canisters used during the protests in Hong Kong on 28 September were manufactured by Chemring Ltd (a UK company), but Hong Kong Police have not verified this and we have no independent confirmation. As debated recently in Parliament, the Government has reviewed licences for tear gas exports to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Each licence application is rigorously examined on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated Criteria and we will revoke or suspend licences that no longer meet them. After carefully reviewing one current licence, the Government has decided it will not be revoked on the basis that it does not contravene the Consolidated Criteria.

Iran

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of Iran's compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1835.

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of Iran's compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1929.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We assess that Iran has breached its obligations under UNSCRs 1835 and 1929 respectively by attempting to ship arms to a third country in March 2014 and by testing ballistic missiles in January 2013. We continue to call on Iran to comply with its international obligations; and for UN members to enforce the UN sanctions regime.

Pakistan

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2014 to Question 211909, what was the outcome of his meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner on 28 October 2014.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: On 28 October, I had a productive introductory meeting with the newly-appointed Pakistan High Commissioner. Among the bilateral issues that I raised was our concern about Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and about the Asia Bibi case. The High Commissioner was left in no doubt about how seriously we take this issue. We will continue to raise our concerns at the highest levels and to press for progress.

Iran

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether Iran's construction of a heavy-water research reactor at its Arak facility places that country in breach of its international obligations.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Under UNSCR 1737 Iran is prohibited from undertaking heavy water-related activities. Under the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) agreed between the E3+3 and Iran, Iran committed to not make any further advances on the Arak reactor for the duration of the JPoA. The IAEA Director General’s 7 November report on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme confirms that Iran continues to abide by its nuclear commitments under the JPoA. The report also confirmed that the reactor remains under IAEA safeguards.

Iran

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether human rights abuses in Iran and that country's support for terror groups have been discussed as part of the nuclear negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The nuclear negotiations between the E3+3 and Iran have focused entirely on resolving the nuclear issue. We do however remain extremely concerned both by Iran’s poor human rights record, and by its links to militant groups outside its borders. We continue to address these problems in our bilateral contacts with Iran and through multilateral channels such as the UN.

Visits Abroad

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2014 to Question 213577, when the cultural programme in Berlin for the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs took place; what engagements were part of that programme; what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the Cabinet Secretary on this programme; and if he will place in the Library correspondence relating to this programme.

Mr David Lidington: Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs visited Berlin on 16-17 April 2013. Scottish Development International (SDI) Dusseldorf arranged and attended parts of the programme, with local support from British Embassy Berlin. The UK Government costs were met from within existing resources. Ms Hyslop met German State Minister Cornelia Pieper and the Europe Director General in the Germany Foreign Ministry. She hosted a lunch for Bundestag members from three parties. Ms Hyslop met Berlin based Glaswegian artist Douglas Gordon and visited an exhibition of his work as well as visiting the Neues Museum. The Embassy Residence hosted a trade focused dinner for Ms Hyslop. SDI sourced salmon, beef and whisky from Scottish suppliers for guests from the food and drink sector. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold any correspondence on this visit.

Pakistan

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Pakistan government regarding the Christian couple who were beaten to death, and whose bodies were burned in Eastern Punjab Province.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I was shocked by this brutal killing. I raised this issue with the Pakistani High Commissioner on 28 October. The Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns, issued a statement condemning this act. It is essential the authorities investigate these atrocious murders and bring to justice those responsible. We regularly raise the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the government of Pakistan and will continue to do so.

Iran

Mr Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the P5+1 counterparts on the latest report into Iran's nuclear programme by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Director General’s report of 7 November 2014 on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme will be discussed at the IAEA Board of Governors on 20-21 November. All of the P5+1 sit on the Board and will be in attendance. The IAEA Director General’s reports update all members of the P5+1 on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme. The 7 November report confirms Iran’s adherence to the nuclear commitments agreed between the P5+1 and Iran under the JPoA.

Iran

Mr Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the latest report into Iran's nuclear programme by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: On 7 November 2014, the IAEA Director General issued his latest report on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme, which will be discussed at the November Board of Governors (20 – 21 November). The report covers Iran's nuclear programme, the IAEA's efforts to address the Possible Military Dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear programme, and the nuclear aspects of the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) with the E3+3. We are grateful for the IAEA’s work, and welcome the confirmation in the report that Iran continues to implement the JPoA.

Colombia

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will issue a public condemnation of the murder of four trade unionists in Colombia in May 2014.

Mr Hugo Swire: My Department is aware of the deaths of the four FENSUAGRO trades union members. The British Embassy in Bogota raised the deaths of FENSUAGRO with the Vice-President’s Office. Following this, on 26 June, the Vice-President’s Office stated that they were following up the case with the Ministry of Defence, the Army, the Attorney General’s Office, the Inspector General’s Office and the National Protection Unit. The Vice President's Office has also been in direct communication with FENSUAGRO.

Colombia

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the hacking of emails of Colombian Government Peace Negotiator Humberto de la Calle; what investigation he has made of whether those responsible had been trained by HM military personnel or other agencies of the Government; and what steps he plans to take as a result.

Mr Hugo Swire: It is for the Colombian government to investigate reports of hacking of e-mails of Colombian Government Peace Negotiator, Humberto de la Calle.

Visits Abroad

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2014 to Question 213577, which Scottish ministers made the visits in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014; and what the destination of each visit was.

Mr David Lidington: Details of these visits are the responsibility of the Scottish Government. However, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds the information attached.



Lists of visits 
(Word Document, 27.56 KB)

Northern Ireland Office

Procurement

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many contracts signed by her Department with suppliers of services or consultants include a clause providing that if the contract is abrogated by the Government, the provider or consultant will be compensated for lost income since 2010.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: My Department receives procurement services from the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD). The consideration given to such a clause in relation to commercial contracts will be in line with their respective policies and procedures.

Travel

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what total amount her Office spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: Because of the devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010, and subsequent reconfiguration of the Northern Ireland Office, my Department does not hold figures for the periods prior to 2010; attempting to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many buildings her Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: No buildings owned by my Department have been sold in any of the years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. My department has responsibility for Hillsborough Castle and rents accommodation at both Stormont House in Belfast and 1 Horse Guards Road, London.In 2013, the Northern Ireland Office moved its London office from Millbank to 1 Horse Guards, saving in the region of £1m per year. In 2014, management of Hillsborough Castle was transferred to Historic Royal Palaces which will also deliver substantial annual savings for the taxpayer.

Attorney General

Fraud: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General, how many fraud prosecutions were carried out in England and Wales in each Crown Prosecution Service business area.

Mr Robert Buckland: The table below shows the number of defendants prosecuted and finalised in 2013-14 by the Crown Prosecution Service in each business area and the Central Casework Division, where the Principal Offence was categorised as ‘Fraud and Forgery’.   The category of ‘Fraud and Forgery, comprises a number of offences including offences prosecuted by way of the Fraud Act 2006, fraudulently evading income tax, VAT, excise duty or national insurance, bankruptcy offences, money laundering, forgery or using a false instrument and obtaining property, services or pecuniary advantage by deception.  2013-2014Cymru Wales426Eastern683East Midlands570London3,196Merseyside & Cheshire528North East577North West931South East762South West558Thames and Chiltern802Wessex449West Midlands824Yorkshire & Humberside933Central Casework Division6,803England & Wales18,042 Data Source: CPS Management Information System   The Central Casework Division includes ‘Fraud and Forgery’ prosecutions previously undertaken by the prosecution function of the Department for Work and Pensions.  The Principal Offence Category is assigned at the end of a prosecution to indicate the most serious offence with which a defendant is charged at the time of finalisation. It is not possible to disaggregate the outcomes of individual offences, such as fraud, without undertaking a manual search of case records which would incur disproportionate cost.

Travel

John Glen: To ask the Attorney General, what total amount the Law Officers' Departments spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Mr Robert Buckland: Information on the amount spent by the Attorney General’s Office with the Government Car and Despatch Agency has already been published and can be found at:   (i) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm (ii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm (iii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101028/wmstext/101028m0001.htm#10102827000372  The Law Officers’ Departments have not incurred any other recorded expenditure for car hire relating to ministerial travel.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions under section 21 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 have been (a) brought and (b) successful in each year since the introduction of that offence.

Mr Robert Buckland: The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) indicate the number of offences charged, in which a prosecution commenced at magistrates’ courts. Section 21 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 creates the offence of knowingly employing an adult subject to immigration control who has not been granted leave to enter or remain or whose leave to remain is invalid, has ceased to have effect or is subject to a condition preventing him from accepting the employment.   The table below sets out the number of offences in each year since the introduction of the offence, charged by way of Section 21 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, in England and Wales.Offences Charged2009-2010142010-2011212011-2012182012-2013152013-201419Data Source: CPS Management Information System  It is not possible to disaggregate which of these offences resulted in a successful outcome without reviewing individual case files which would incur disproportionate cost.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Business: Billing

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to promote the Prompt Payment Code as a means of ensuring that small and medium-sized businesses do not suffer financial hardship as a result of late payments.

Matthew Hancock: The Government launched the business-led Prompt Payment Code Advisory Board in October 2014. Its remit covers exploring ways to promote awareness of the Code.   The Government and the ICM now plan to develop proposals to ensure that signatories better adhere to the Prompt Payment Code’s principles in the coming months.   In addition, we are working to improve the information available to small and medium sized businesses to help them identify which customers are good payers and offer the terms that fit best with their business model. Through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill we will take a delegated power to introduce a prompt payment reporting requirement through secondary legislation. This will require large and listed companies to publicly report on their payment practices.

Business: Billing

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what measures are in place to enable the Prompt Payment Code is effective in preventing late payments.

Matthew Hancock: Suppliers currently have the ability to challenge signatories via the Prompt Payment Code website. The Government and the ICM recognised the need to strengthen this function, and launched the business led Prompt Payment Code Advisory Board in October 2014. Its remit covers: improve monitoring and enforcement of the Codepromote awareness of the Codeimprove website content and information.   We now plan to develop proposals to ensure that signatories better adhere to the Prompt Payment Code’s principles in the coming months.   We are committed to improving transparency on payment practices. Through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill we will take a delegated power to introduce a reporting requirement through secondary legislation. This will require large and listed companies to report on their payment practices. The Bill is currently before Parliament.

Technology: Greater London

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what future investment the Government plans to make to promote the technology sector in London.

Mr Edward Vaizey: London is the tech capital of Europe. The Government has played a key part in its success. It supports Tech City UK which delivers support services and programmes to tech businesses in London and UK-wide. London and Partners promotes the London wide tech sector, working on behalf of the Mayor of London and other commercial partners, including Tech City for which it took over specific responsibility in April this year. Technology companies in London will benefit from a range of government funding such as the: • recently announced 5m funding (£2m in 2015/2016 and a provisional allocation of £3m in 2016/17) for a pilot digital skills programme to be run by the London Enterprise Panel as part of the London Growth Deal. • A new Digital Catapult, located in King’s Cross, with £50m over 5 years to provide tech companies with access to expertise and enable them to develop new products and services. • £40K, this financial year, for Tech City UK’s Future Fifty Programme. Of the 50 tech companies, 37 of them are headquartered in London. • £400K this financial year for Tech City UK’s Digital Business Academy - an online training programme to ensure everyone has the much needed digital skills. We will have the lowest corporation tax rate in the G7 from next year. Technology companies can also benefit from other tax incentives such as the Patent Box, which can give an effective 10% tax rate for qualifying net revenue arising from EU or UK registered patents, R&D tax credits, the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme. The Government launched the new computing curriculum in September 2014, to ensure a pipeline of digitally skilled individuals. £3.5m of funding has been provided to ensure teachers have the skills to teach the curriculum and there are a number of coding clubs available in London schools, to inspire young people about the career opportunities digital skills provide. There is also good work at a local level, for example, Camden Council has started to set up code clubs in schools, see the following link: http://www.theguardian.com/local-government-network/2013/sep/02/camden-council-pioneers-coding-in-schools

EU External Trade: Canada

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he considers the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada to be a mixed agreement.

Matthew Hancock: In the UK's view, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada includes policy areas that are Member State competence and as such should be a mixed agreement.

Young People: Training

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that EU and UK funding programmes aimed at increasing young people's skills prioritise interpersonal skills known to be highly valued by employers.

Nick Boles: Our mainstream vocational education programmes in England are designed to equip people with the wide range of vocational and generic skills that employers need: • Employers are in the driving seat of new apprenticeships – by designing frameworks and standards so that they contain the elements, and young people are equipped with the skills, that employers need. • Work experience and employability skills are key elements of traineeships which are designed for those who are motivated to work but lack the necessary skills, behaviours and experience. • Projects under the Employer Ownership Pilot cover a wide range of training provision led by employers. Many of these training areas will cover interpersonal skills as it is ultimately for employers to decide which areas of training they value and are of most importance. • Ofsted inspection of vocational education provision includes consideration of employability skills. One of the main priorities of the new European Social Fund (ESF) programme for 2014-2020 is to develop the skills of the potential and existing workforce, with special emphasis on helping young people. There will be particular focus on reducing the relatively high proportion of people with low levels of qualifications/skills and developing those skills, including interpersonal skills which have been identified by employers as meeting their needs. Young people are being given better support to get ready for employment through the Department for Education’s 16-19 Study Programmes. These focus on exactly the areas that employers say matter, such as employability skills and work experience, and under which schools and colleges could chose to prioritise activity which relates to inter-personal skills.

Rolls-Royce

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of job losses at Rolls Royce on the retention of key engineering skills in the Bristol region.

Matthew Hancock: Holding answer received on 10 November 2014



Rolls-Royce has announced plans to reduce its global headcount to secure its competitiveness in a challenging global market. The company is now in consultation with their workforce representatives about where and how these reductions will be made, although their intention is to achieve these on a voluntary basis   It is not yet clear where jobs will be lost or how many UK employees might be affected. However, we are in regular contact with Rolls-Royce and will be working with them to mitigate the impact on the individuals affected, including any who may be based in the Bristol region. Rolls-Royce will use the Talent Retention Solution which has been jointly developed by Government and industry and which matches skilled engineers with employers looking for talent. This scheme has a successful track record of redeploying engineering talent, most recently with BAE Systems.

Construction: Industry

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent fall in UK construction Purchasing Managers Index.

Nick Boles: The most recently published UK Construction Purchasing Manager’s Index, for October 2014, indicated a strong overall increase in UK construction output albeit with slightly weaker growth than in previous months. The index remains much higher than the long-run average and the industry is optimistic about the future. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills continues to support the industry by working with the industry to remove barriers to growth by improving the planning system, access to finance, and easing the burden of regulation. On the demand side, we are stimulating the house building industry - in Autumn Statement 2013 my Rt. Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £1bn extension of the Local Infrastructure Fund for large scale housing sites, to unlock around 250,000 homes over 6 years. We are also stimulating infrastructure development. The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) sets a strategic vision for forthcoming infrastructure needs. It has identified a pipeline of over 500 projects costing around £250bn to 2015 and beyond. On the supply side, we are working closely with the Construction Leadership Council to ensure that the industry is well placed to respond to growing markets, tackling issues such as skills, innovation, sustainability, productivity, efficiency and export performance.

Disabled Students' Allowances

Mr William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his statement of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 1WS, on higher education (student support), what reports he has received on the potential effect of changes to the disabled students allowances that provide assistive technology.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ officials have met representatives of the British Assistive Technology Association (BATA) and other stakeholders to discuss the potential effect of changes to Disabled Students’ Allowances on the provision of assistive technology. The Written Ministerial Statement of 12 September 2014 confirms that we will continue funding for assistive technology.

Higher Education: Admissions

Mr Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the cost to the public purse is of abolishing the cap on student numbers in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17 and (d) 2017-18.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

EU Grants and Loans

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what guidance his Department offers to recipients of EU structural funds.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is responsible for EU structural funds policy and regulations. The United Kingdom’s Managing Authorities have responsibility for issuing guidance to recipients of the funds. In England, the Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Department for Work and Pensions is the Managing Authority for the European Social Fund (ESF). In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the Devolved Administrations are responsible for the management of the ERDF and ESF programmes. All the Managing Authorities have websites which give guidance to potential applicants for funding, as well as reports and publicity about their programmes. The links to the structural funds websites are as follows:- England Department for Communities and local Government: https://www.gov.uk/erdf-national-guidance Department for Work and Pensions: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/european-social-fund-2007-to-2013#guidance-and-regulations Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (ERDF): http://www.eucompni.gov.uk/ Department of Education and Learning (ESF): http://www.delni.gov.uk/esf Scotland Scottish Government: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/support/17404 Wales Welsh European Funding Office:http://wefo.wales.gov.uk/publications/guidance/?lang=en

Apprentices: Risk Assessment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what risk assessments employers taking on apprentices are required to undertake.

Nick Boles: The Government does not direct employers to undertake risk assessments for the recruitment of apprentices. Employers are required to follow their own employment practices in the same way as they would for the recruitment of any other employee.

Riot Control Weapons: Hong Kong

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which companies have received licences for the export of tear gas to Hong Kong since January 2010.

Matthew Hancock: Seven licences have been granted to four companies for the export of tear gas for Hong Kong since 2010.   The names of the companies who were granted these licences are exempt from disclosure because this information was provided in confidence and such information is commercially sensitive.   The Government will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.

New Businesses: Harlow

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many new businesses were started in the Harlow constituency in each of the last five years.

Matthew Hancock: BankSearch collates data on the number of new business bank accounts opened in Great Britain. This can be used as an indicative measure of business start-up activity and is the most comprehensive source available to the Department. Data goes as far back as 2008.The estimated number of business start-ups (rounded) in the Harlow constituency for the years 2008 to 2013 are shown in the table below. YearTotal estimated number of business start-ups in the Harlow constituency200859020096402010770201180020128002013670Source: BankSearch, based on the number of new business bank accounts opened.

SAFERjobs

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2014 to Question 212650, how many potential cases of human trafficking have been intercepted by SAFERjobs in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Jo Swinson: SAFERjobs is not part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and we do not hold information on potential cases of human trafficking that may have been intercepted by SAFERjobs.   SAFERjobs (Safe Advice for Employment and Recruitment) SAFERjobs is a non-profit, joint industry and law enforcement organisation set up to raise awareness and combat criminal activities that may be attempted on those seeking a job, or through the services provided by the recruitment industry.

SAFERjobs

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2014 to Question 212650, what resources he provided to SAFERjobs in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Jo Swinson: SAFERjobs (Safe Advice for Employment and Recruitment) is not part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and we do not provide any resources or funding to them.   SAFERjobs is a non-profit, joint industry and law enforcement organisation set up to raise awareness and combat criminal activities that may be attempted on those seeking a job, or through the services provided by the recruitment industry.   SAFERjobs works collaboratively with the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to share information and intelligence.

Business: Alcoholic Drinks

Sir Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, at what stage during the progress of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill he plans to bring forward proposals to exempt independent family brewers from the provisions of the Bill.

Sir Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of independent family brewers to the UK economy; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: The Government’s intention is that all pub-owning companies with tied tenants, including family brewers but not micro-businesses, should be in scope of the measures for a Pubs Code and Pubs Code Adjudicator in Part 4 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill. The Government published a revised draft Pubs Code on 14 November which reflects a number of requirements we consider it would be proportionate to move to the enhanced Code and, as such, would not apply to pub-owning companies with fewer than 500 tied pubs, including family brewers.   The Government has tabled amendments that specify that the requirements to produce an annual Compliance Report, to have a Code Compliance Officer and rent assessments signed off by a RICS valuer, will apply only to large pub-owning companies. This is in addition to the Parallel Rent Assessment requirement which has always been in the enhanced Code. In addition, the revised draft Code also reflects a number of other requirements that have also moved to the enhanced Code. These are the requirement to ensure that tenants complete pre-entry training, requirements around Business Development Managers, and the requirement to provide a tenant with information about rent deposit arrangements. The Government has reached these conclusions following the discussions in Public Bill Committee and the constructive meetings with hon Members, including my hon Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent.   The Government recognises that the beer and pubs industry, including family brewers, makes a significant contribution to the UK economy. It is an industry we want to see grow and flourish and the measures in the Bill are intended to do just that. According to the British Beer and Pub Association, it is an industry that contributes £22 billion to UK GDP, generates £11 billion in tax revenue and supports almost one million jobs.

Small Businesses: Rotherham

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will offer additional support to small businesses in Rotherham whose sales have been affected by repeated English Defence League marches in that town; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: There is a range of support available to help businesses, including those businesses in Rotherham affected by recent marches. Advice and support available for businesses can be found at www.greatbusiness.gov.uk. The Business Support Helpline can also provide advice and support, from quick responses to a personalised and in-depth advice service for more complex needs, and for businesses in crisis. The Helpline is available on Tel: 0300 456 3565.   For those businesses experiencing cashflow problems, Business Debtline provides confidential and independent advice on managing financial difficulties (Tel: 0800 197 6026). In addition, any business facing a short term difficulty which they couldn’t have planned for can always approach HM Revenue & Customs to discuss the possibility of deffering some payments of tax.

Research: Finance

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to maximise drawdown of European research and innovation-related grants and other forms of investment for academic institutions.

Greg Clark: Our academic institutions had a strong track record in attracting European research grants under the previous Framework Programme 7 (FP7), taking 25% of the higher education pot. The Government is keen to maintain this leadership with the FP7 successor, Horizon 2020. In partnership with Innovate UK and Local Enterprise Partnerships, we will work with our Higher Education Institutions and their representative bodies to ensure that they are aware of the opportunities and that they are supported through the processes. Horizon 2020 is much larger than FP7, with an allocation of €89bn over its seven years (compared to €53bn in FP7), and the widening of its scope to cover innovation is a good fit with UK policies for a knowledge economy.

Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how often his Department reviews its processes regarding the logging of emails, letters and other correspondence received; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills introduced a new correspondence system in July 2013, at which time all correspondence processes were thoroughly reviewed. The Department keeps its processes under review.

Department for International Development

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many buildings her Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Mr Desmond Swayne: DFID has not sold any properties from 2010 to date.

West Africa: Ebola

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many medical professionals, normally based in the UK, have volunteered to assist in West African countries regarding the Ebola crisis in the last six months.

Justine Greening: Over 1,000 medical staff who are based in the UK have volunteered to assist in the response to Ebola in West Africa through UK-Med, who are coordinating volunteers from the NHS through their International Emergency Medical Register (UKIEMR), and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).

Sudan

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department will monitor the forthcoming food voucher programme in Darfur to ensure it will be targeted at people in need and does not become a target of corruption.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK is a significant donor to the World Food Programme (WFP) voucher programme in Darfur. Over the last 12 months, Department for International Development (DFID) staff have visited voucher sites in all Darfur States where the programme is operating to monitor the programme. They met with WFP staff, partner agencies and beneficiaries. DFID is satisfied that the process of identifying and verifying programme beneficiaries based on biometric data, and conducted jointly by WFP and the International Organisation for Migration, ensures that the programme reaches intended beneficiaries. The planned roll out of electronic voucher cards with biometric data will further strengthen the process of ensuring beneficiaries receive what they are entitled to.   WFP conducts regular monitoring of a sample of beneficiaries immediately after vouchers have been distributed and again, approximately two weeks later, when they visit beneficiaries in their homes to assess how vouchers have been utilised. Monitoring is complemented by internal evaluations which allow WFP to assess the effectiveness of the programme in terms of value for money and the impact on food consumption and dietary diversity.   We will continue to closely monitor the programme through regular reports and field visits.

Department for Education

Children

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will issue guidance on the age threshold at which and  for what period leaving one or more children alone or in charge of another child at home is an advisory issue, a child protection issue or a criminal offence.

Mr Edward Timpson: The law is clear that any adult who has responsibility for any child or young person under 16 can be prosecuted for neglect if they leave a child unsupervised “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health” (Section 1 Children and Young Persons Act 1933). There are no plans for the Department for Education to issue guidance. The choice to leave children home alone is left to the parents to decide using their own judgement. The NSPCC produce guidance on this, which sets out the law and when it would become a child protection issue or a criminal offence to leave a child at home alone. The guidance can be found online at:www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/advice-and-info/home-alone-guide-keeping-child-safe.pdf

Music: Teachers

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many secondary schools have at least one trained music teacher; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Gibb: Published figures show there were an estimated total of 7,300 teachers teaching music in publicly funded secondary schools in England in November 2013, of whom 86.7% held a relevant post A-level qualification in music. These figures are correct to within a margin of plus or minus 1.0% (73 teachers).  This national estimate is based on a large sample of secondary schools. Of the schools in that sample, 86% employed at least one teacher of music (on a headcount basis) with a relevant post A-level qualification in music.[1] The estimate excludes self-employed and peripatetic music teachers who have a contract with the school for less than 28 days. [1] Relevant post A-level qualification includes: a degree in music, a bachelor of education or a post graduate certificate of education (PGCE) or any other qualification recognised at National Qualification Framework level 4 or level 5 in music. A music teacher whose training was outside one of these routes would not count as having a relevant post A-level qualification.

Music: Teachers

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the number of trained music teachers in England; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Department for Education does not collect data on the number of trained music teachers in primary schools in England.   There were 7,300 teachers teaching music in publicly funded secondary schools in England in November 2013, of whom 86.7% had a post A-level qualification in music. These figures are correct to within a margin of plus or minus 1%.   This information is taken from the School Workforce Census and excludes self-employed and peripatetic music teachers who have a contract with a school for less than 28 days. The estimate also excludes music provision in primary schools.

Music: Curriculum

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage the study of music in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Government recognises the importance of music as an integral part of children’s development, and believes strongly that every child should experience a good quality music education at both primary and secondary school. We have therefore confirmed the place of music as a statutory subject within the new national curriculum for all children in maintained schools between key stages 1 to 3. The revised programmes of study include an increased focus on learning to play a musical instrument and singing, pupils learning to read and write notation, the historical development of music, and the work of great composers. Music also remains within the arts entitlement area within the national curriculum at key stage 4. Maintained schools must provide access to at least one course in each entitlement area. The total number of music entries in key stage 4 exams has risen by 7% since 2010. We have committed around £390 million in the years 2012-16 for music education programmes. This includes £246 million for 123 music education hubs which have core roles to ensure every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument through whole-class ensemble teaching, provide opportunities to play in ensembles and to perform from an early stage, ensure clear progression routes are available and affordable to all young people, and to develop a singing strategy for their area.Arts Council England, which manages the hubs on our behalf, introduced a new requirement earlier this year for each hub to set up a School Music Education Plan. These plans must demonstrate how music hubs intend to increase their engagement with the schools in their local area, how they will provide support to schools in their provision of a high-quality music curriculum, and how they will challenge schools to improve where this is needed.

Academies

Mr Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2014 to Question 211249, what powers academy trusts have to pre-screen parent director candidates prior to election by parents; and what guidance her Department issues to academy trusts on such pre-screening.

Mr Edward Timpson: The model articles set out the arrangements for the election and appointment of parents to be directors of academy trusts. They provide discretion to directors of the trust to determine the terms of reference under which elections and appointments should be undertaken. The Department for Education has set out in the Governors’ Handbook the high professional standards which governors and directors are expected to meet. Academy trusts must ensure that directors are suitable and have the necessary skills and capacity to take on the role.

Children: Reading

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage parents to read to their children.

Mr Nick Gibb: Research has shown that parental involvement in early education as part of daily family life at home has a greater impact on children’s well-being and achievement than any other factor, such as poverty, parental education or, later on, school environment.   Through the book gifting programme, the Department for Education funds the registered charity, Booktrust, to provide support to increase parental engagement and involvement in their child’s educational development. This includes:   a ‘Bookstart Baby’ pack to every child up to the age of one year;a ‘Bookstart Treasure Pack’ to three and four-year-olds; andworking with children’s centres across England to engage disadvantaged families in their child’s education, providing resources and guidance around sharing books, stories and nursery rhymes.

Violence: Males

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on educating children about violence against men and boys.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on educating boys about domestic violence against men and boys.

Mr Nick Gibb: Education has an important role to play in encouraging young people to build healthy relationships, and to identify those relationships which are unhealthy. Pupils may be taught about violence against men and boys in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. PSHE can encompass many areas of study. It should equip pupils with the knowledge and skills to make safe and informed decisions and to prepare for adult life.   All schools should teach PSHE, drawing on good practice. This Government wants to support young people by ensuring teachers have effective materials to use in schools. We have asked the PSHE Association to develop guidance for schools on the topic of consent, and this is expected to be published by the end of 2014.

Education

Mr Michael Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for the funding of (a) all post-16 education, (b) sixth forms and (c) further education colleges; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Boles: The Education Funding Agency wrote to all 16-19 institutions in October regarding our plans for announcing funding for 2015/16. We plan to confirm the national funding rate for 2015/16 in January 2015, as soon as we have early data on student numbers in 2014/15. After the national funding rate is confirmed, notification of individual institutions' budgets for 2015/16 (which will be based around the national funding rate) will be sent out in February or March. The level of funding for education of 16- to 19-year-olds beyond 2015/16 will be subject to the Government’s next spending review.

Procurement

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many contracts signed by her Department with suppliers of services or consultants include a clause providing that if the contract is abrogated by the Government, the provider or consultant will be compensated for lost income since 2010.

Mr Nick Gibb: The information requested is not held centrally. An answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost, as we would need to review all departmental contracts.   It is the Department for Education’s usual policy that contracts include a mutual, no faults termination clause which allows either party to terminate a contract by giving a period of notice. If the Department terminates such contracts under the ‘no faults’ clause we would reimburse the contractor for any committed or unavoidable cost, and would expect the contractor to take mitigating action to reduce such cost.

Foster Care

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many mothers have had babies aged under three months placed into foster care; and how many babies aged under three months have been placed into foster care in that time in each of the last five years.

Mr Edward Timpson: The number of babies aged under three months who have been placed into foster care in each of the last five years is shown in the table below: Looked after Children who were placed into foster care when they were aged under three months during the year ending 31 MarchYears ending 31 March 2010 to 2014Coverage: England YEARNUMBER 1,2,320103,37020113,48020123,99020134,19020144,190Source: SSDA9031. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.2. Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.3. The child may also have had a subsequent placement during the year. The Department for Education does not collect information on mothers of children therefore we are unable to estimate the number of mothers who had babies placed into foster care.

Sexting

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment Ofsted has made of primary and secondary schools' policies regarding sexting and the incidence of sexting in such schools in England and Wales.

Mr David Laws: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. A copy of his reply will be placed in the library of the House.

Mathematics

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students on a 16 to 19 study programme and without a GCSE grade C or above in mathematics, did not study either a GCSE or an approved alternative qualification in mathematics in 2013-14.

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students on a 16 to 19 study programme and without a GCSE grade C or above in English, did not study either a GCSE or an approved alternative qualification in English in 2013-14.

Nick Boles: Data on study and attainment by 16-18 year old students without a grade C or above in English and/or mathematics relating to 2013/14 is not yet available, but is due to be published on www.gov.uk in September 2015. Data for the 2012/13 academic year was published in September 2014 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/level-1-and-2-english-and-maths-16-to-18-students-2012-to-2013

Academies: Food

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) academies and (b) free schools that opened between September 2010 and August 2014 have not voluntarily signed up to the school food standards to date.

Mr David Laws: The Department for Education does not hold this data. Revised school food standards regulations for local authority maintained schools, academies that opened prior to September 2010 and academies and free schools in England entering into a funding agreement from June 2014 will come into effect on 1 January 2015. The authors of the School Food Plan are encouraging academies and free schools to commit voluntarily to the new standards. 99% of those academies which responded to a survey by the School Food Trust in 2012 said they were committed to following the new food standards. All academies and free schools signing their funding agreements from spring 2014 are required to adhere to the new, less bureaucratic school food standards.

Ministry of Justice

Television

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department spent on the purchase of televisions in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date.

Andrew Selous: The Department holds limited data in respect of question part A & B due to the termination of a previous contractor who was unable to provide detailed management information. The Department has split the data into the spend relating to Prisoner in cell televisions and other televisions as the majority of spend relates to in cell television supply. The cost of in cell televisions is funded directly by prisoners through a national TV rental scheme, where prisoners pay £1.00 per week for single occupancy accommodation or 50p per week for dual occupancy accommodation. Prisoners are only allowed to participate within the rental scheme if they have earned the right through the Prisons Incentives and Earned Privilege Scheme (IEPS). The costs of In Cell TV purchases is fully met by the TV rental scheme. The data requested can be found below: 2013/20142014 / 2015 Until SeptemberCategoryNet SpendCategoryNet SpendIn cell televisions£684,912 .00In cell televisions£395,812.20Other televisions*No Data AvailableOther televisions£32, 027.00  Spend on in cell television has reduced significantly since 2012-2013 since the introduction of a national in- house repair service and central purchase and internal distribution of in cell televisions. Legacy data has been provided from 2009/2010.2009/20102010/2011CategoryNet SpendCategoryNet SpendIn cell televisions£1,411,162.00In cell televisions£1,104,224.09Other televisions£232,552.03Other televisions£164,355  2011/20122012 / 2013CategoryNet SpendCategoryNet SpendIn cell televisions£836,038.0In cell televisions£1,128,097.00Other televisions£124,334.00Other televisions*No Data Available  The national TV repair service is operated by a Prisoner workshop in the North of England that also provides educational training and purposeful activity for Prisoners. The refurbishment of televisions also contributes towards reducing the department’s carbon reduction through minimising the purchase of new TV’s. All parts used in TV repairs are salvaged from other sets to maximise the use of unserviceable units.

Open Prisons

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Category D long-sentenced prisoners who have more than two years left to serve to earliest release date are currently in open conditions.

Andrew Selous: As at 30 June 2014, there were 24 determinate sentence prisoners held in open conditions with more than two years left to serve before their earliest release date and 18 indeterminate sentence prisoners in open conditions with more than two years left to serve before their tariff expiry[1]. Those prisoners with at least two more years left before their earliest release will either be serving a determinate sentence of four years or more, or an indeterminate sentence with a minimum tariff of two years or more. The earliest date on which an indeterminate sentence prisoner (ISP) may be released from custody is on completion of “tariff” – that is, the minimum period to be served in custody, as determined by the Court, for the purposes of retribution and deterrence.Progression to open conditions is never automatic and only follows a satisfactory assessment of the prisoner’s reduction in risk to a level that is manageable in conditions of lower security. The assessment will take account of issues including successful completion of any offending behaviour programmes identified as essential to the risk reduction process and any security intelligence or other information that provides evidence of the prisoner’s trustworthiness for open conditions. For determinate sentence prisoners, this assessment is carried out by an operational manager in the holding prison. For ISPs, it generally involves a recommendation by the independent Parole Board. Once allocated to open prison, prisoners continue to be monitored and are returned to closed prison immediately if there are any concerns about their suitability for such conditions. When a prisoner moves to the less rigid structure of open conditions an assessment of how the prisoner will adapt to increasing responsibility. For many prisoners, in particular those such as life sentence prisoners, who have spent a considerable amount of time in custody; these can be important components for successful reintegration in the community and therefore a mechanism to help protect the public by reducing the likelihood of reoffending.[1] Please note that these figures do not include prisoners held in open conditions in non-predominant function open prisons, nor those held in open sites that are part of multi-site establishments performing different functions, nor those held in small (under 50 place) open units at predominant function closed prisons. Women and young adults are included in the figures.

Probation

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the level of staff shortage was in the probation service (a) at the latest date for which data is available and (b) in October 2013.

Andrew Selous: The National Probation Service (NPS) and Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) were resourced to deliver their core duties at the point of commencing the new structures on 1 June 2014, for a period of shadow running prior to the transition in the public sector. CRCs are responsible for managing their own vacancies, and we are providing support and advice where required during the transition. We are implementing a new reporting tool for the National Probation Service from November 2014 which will enable us to capture NPS vacancies centrally to support our workforce planning. Prior to June 2014 probation services were delivered by 35 Probation Trusts. The Trusts were responsible for managing their own vacancies and no central records were maintained of staffing levels against requirements.

Prisons: Drugs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps he has taken to prevent drug use in prisons.

Andrew Selous: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) takes the issue of all contraband in prisons extremely seriously and deploys a comprehensive range of robust searching and security measures to detect items of contraband both at the point of entry to the prison and concealed within the prison. These include drug detection dogs, procedures to tackle visitors and others who seek to smuggle drugs and phones into prisons, and mobile phone detection technology. NOMS has rolled out a networked IT intelligence system and provided prisons with short range portable mobile phone blockers which will help prisons prevent prisoners using mobile phones, which are often associated with drug supply. The success of NOMS drug strategy is illustrated by the reduction of drug misuse - as measured by the random mandatory drug testing programme - which has declined by 17.0 percentage points over the past 17 years. Positive rates were 24.4% in 1996/7 and 7.4% in 2013/14, despite the fact that prisoners are being tested for a greater range of drugs. The government recently introduced an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill to expand prisons' powers to test prisoners for non-controlled drugs. If agreed and enacted, this would allow prison staff to conduct mandatory drug tests on prisoners for non-controlled drugs, such as new psychoactive substances and medicines, if the required tests were available.

Robbery

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of grave robbery in each year since January 2011.

Mike Penning: Grave robbing is an appalling offence, though instances are fortunately rare. The theft of items from graves is a heartless and callous crime which can have a devastating impact on bereaved relatives and friends. If the offenders responsible are detected they can expect to feel the full force of the law. The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. However, not all offences are individually reported within the centrally held data. Offences of grave robbery are reported as part of a wider group of offences and cannot be separately identified from other offences under the Theft Act. This detailed information is not reported to Justice Statistics Analytical Services due to its size and complexity and as such, it can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Family Courts: Wales

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many parents involved in family court cases relating to children had no legal representation in (a) Wales and (b) Newport East.

Simon Hughes: We do not hold information on the representation of parents in the family court. Family cases showing applicants and respondents who represent themselves are published quarterly. Not all applicants and respondents will be parents. Applicants who represent themselves have the field 'legal representation' in the Ministry of Justice administrative database left blank. This is only a proxy measure and parties without a recorded representative are not necessarily litigants in person. Information on the representation of parties is available for family courts at a national level in table 2.4 of Court Statistics Quarterly and it is available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/court-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2014 Parties with no legal representation are not a new phenomenon in our courts. We have taken steps to help people who either want to represent themselves in court or have to do so. The new package of support announced on 23 October is aimed at keeping disputes away from court, and those who end up in court will be provided with better support.

Victim Support

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2014 to Question 213136, how much grant funding to Victim Support for the court-based Witness Service the Government has provided in each year since May 2010.

Mike Penning: The spend associated with provision of the court-based Witness Service was recently assessed as c£12m per annum.

Youth Custody

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer by the Minister for Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation of 4 November 2014, to Question 213435, how many former offenders have been allowed to visit secure childrens' homes in each year since May 2010.

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2014, to Question 213435, how many former offenders have been allowed to visit (a) young offender institutions and (b) secure training centres in each year since May 2010.

Andrew Selous: The Government believes reformed offenders can play a positive role in rehabilitating young and adult offenders through mentoring and demonstrating the possibility for change. Information is not held on the number of ex-offenders visiting the youth secure estate. Governors of Young Offender Institutions, Directors of Secure Training Centres and Managers of Secure Children’s Homes use their discretion to approve any visits to their individual establishments. Consideration will be given to the purpose of the visit, an assessment of the risk that the individual poses, and to wider responsibilities to ensure that young people are safeguarded at all times.

Open Prisons

Mr Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer to Question 212354, how many prisoners convicted of which specific offences relating to (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences and (c) robbery are currently held in open prisons.

Mr Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2014 to Question 212354, how many (a) indeterminate sentenced prisoners serving life sentences and (b) prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection by category of offence were placed in open prisons in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Andrew Selous: The first table below provides the number of prisoners located in an open prison serving a custodial sentence, by offence group. The second table provides the number of prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence located in open prison, by offence group. Prisoners serving an immediate custodial sentence in open prisons(1) by specific offence, 30 September 2014, England and Wales  30-Sep-14Violence against the person1,131Murder323Manslaughter62Other Homicide & attempted109Other Violence Against The Person637  Sexual offences285Rape159Other Sexual offences126  Robbery422  All other offences2,309  Total4,147  Prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence in open prisons(1) by offence group, 30 September 2014, England and Wales IPPLifeAllViolence against the person213390603Sexual offences12583208Robbery10316119Burglary12517Theft and handling000Fraud and forgery000Drug offences101Motoring offences022Other offences612687Offence not recorded011All5155231,038 (1) Only prisons that are predominantly open are included. Figures do not include category D prisoners held in non-predominant function open prisons nor those held in open sites that are part of multi-site establishments performing different functions nor those held in small (under 50 place) open units at predominant function closed prisons. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. As previously explained, all prisoners located in open conditions have been subject to a rigorous assessment which has concluded that their risk is capable of being effectively managed in open conditions. Once allocated to an open prison, prisoners continue to be monitored and are returned to closed prison immediately if there are any concerns about their suitability for low security conditions. Placing a prisoner in open conditions serves two main purposes. Firstly, it facilitates the eventual resettlement of prisoners into the community, in conditions more similar to those that they will face in the community than closed conditions can provide. Secondly, it allows for risk to be assessed in order to inform release decisions and, should the prisoner secure release, to inform risk management plans for ongoing supervision in the community. For many prisoners, in particular those such as life sentence prisoners, who have spent a considerable amount of time in custody; these can be important components for successful reintegration in the community and therefore a mechanism to help protect the public. Keeping the public safe is our priority. That is why this Government took action on releases on temporary licence (ROTL) absconds from prison; prisoners are now no longer eligible for transfer to open conditions if they have previously escaped; absconded from open prisons; or if they have failed to return or reoffended whilst released on temporary licence, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Driving Offences: Insurance

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people convicted of driving without insurance were fined in Brigg and Goole constituency in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: The maximum penalty for the offence of driving without insurance is a level 5 (£5,000) fine. The information requested is not held by parliamentary constituency.

Probation

Mr Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many British citizens sentenced to probation in each (a) EU member state and (b) country outside the EU have been transferred back to the UK to serve their probation in each of the last five years.

Mr Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what arrangements the Government has in place to enable British citizens sentenced to probation in (a) another EU member state and (b) another country outside the EU to be transferred back to the UK to serve their probation in the UK.

Andrew Selous: There is no statutory basis for community sentences imposed on British citizens by a court in another country, whether in the EU or outside it, to be enforced by the UK authorities; we are therefore not aware of any British citizens who have received a community sentence from a court in another jurisdiction and been transferred to the UK to serve that sentence.The Framework Decision on Prisoner Transfer allows British citizens to be transferred back to a UK prison to serve a custodial sentence imposed by a court in another EU jurisdiction, and to subsequently serve a British post-custodial licence in the UK.

Courts: Interpreters

Mr Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times a court case has been halted or postponed either (a) on the day of, (b) on the day before and (c) in the week before the case due to a failing of Capita to deliver its requirements under its interpreters' contract.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The case management systems for the County Court and Family Court do not record reasons for adjournments/postponements. Data is not collected centrally by HMCTS showing the reasons for adjournments in every hearing in every court case. Different case management systems are used throughout Crown Courts, Magistrates Courts, Family Courts and County Courts to record different levels of data. The only way to enable the provision of a response to this question would be to manually check each case file from each court. The interpreting contract has delivered significant improvements since being introduced to tackle the inefficiencies and inconsistencies in the previous system. The provision of all language services is now available 24/7 with interpreters spending more time translating than ever before. We now have a quality service that is robust, sustainable and affordable, and we have spent £27m less in the first two years of the contract. We will continue to drive further improvements in performance to deliver value for the taxpayer.

Magistrates' Courts

Mr Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates' courts (a) opened and (b) closed in each Local Criminal Justice Board area in each year since 2010.

Mr Shailesh Vara: HM Courts & Tribunals Service holds information on magistrates’ courts which have opened and closed in each year since 2010, however, this needs to be cross referenced against Local Criminal Justice Board areas. HM Courts & Tribunals Service is unable to collate and check this information within a short period of time. I will write to the honourable member in due course when the information is available.

Victim Support Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 October 2014, Official Report, column 13WS, on Our Commitment to Victims, what steps he is taking to improve the experience of going to court for vulnerable victims.

Mike Penning: In ‘Our Commitment to Victims’ the Government set out its plan for strengthening the protection for vulnerable victims by improving their experience at court. By March 2015 we will:· devise a requirement that to be instructed in cases involving serious sexual offences, publicly-funded advocates must have undertaken approved specialist training on working with vulnerable victims and witnesses;· give vulnerable witnesses greater opportunity to give evidence from a location away from court that better supports them to give their evidence, with at least one such location available in each court region;· set out a programme for national roll-out of pre-trial cross-examination for child victims, subject to the evaluation of the pilots; and· support the Director of Public Prosecutions’ consultation on providing better information and support to victims both before and at court so that they are better prepared for trials. And as we modernise the courts, we will ensure that victims’ needs are at the forefront of our plans. Taken together, these reforms will ensure that where victims give evidence, they can do so with in a less aggressive courtroom atmosphere, to reduce their anxiety.

Victim Support Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 October 2014, Official Report, column 13WS, on Our Commitment to Victims, when he plans to publish legislative proposals on guaranteeing victims' rights.

Mike Penning: We will enshrine the rights of victims in law by putting the key entitlements of the Victims’ Code into primary legislation. This will put the highest emphasis on the needs of victims. We expect this new victims’ law to be introduced in the next Parliament.

Victim Support Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 October 2014, Official Report, column 13WS, on Our Commitment to Victims, what estimate he has made of expenditure on the proposed Victims' Information Service in each of the next three years; and from which budget that expenditure is drawn.

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 October 2014, Official Report, column 13WS, on Our Commitment to Victims, which services the proposed Victims' Information Service will provide.

Mike Penning: The Victims’ Information Service, which will be launched by March 2015, will consist of a national information line and a website for victims to find information about the criminal justice system and support services, in one place, for the first time. It will also signpost victims to local and national support services and to the relevant criminal justice agency if they want to know about their case or make a complaint. By April 2016, the Victims’ Information Service will provide more support for victims by enabling them to submit complaints to the relevant agency; provide feedback about their experiences; and ensure that those who most need it receive more tailored personal assistance to guide them through the system. We will continue to develop the service, post 2016, based on user feedback, to make further improvements and ensure that it continues to meet the needs of victims. We are currently scoping the detail of what the Victims’ Information Service will offer in accordance with user need and the projected costs will be informed by this process and will ensure the solution developed offers value for money. We are making more money than ever before available for services to support victims of crime, with a potential total budget of up to £100m per year. The costs of the Victims’ Information Service will be met from this budget.

Prisons: Overcrowding

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on measures to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

Andrew Selous: The Justice Secretary regularly meets with Cabinet colleagues, including the Home Secretary, to discuss measures that impact on the prison population. We will always have enough prison places for those sent to prison by the courts, and they are operated in a way that gives taxpayers the best value for money. In 2013/14 crowding in prisons was at the lowest level for 10 years, and, by May 2015, this Government will provide more adult male prison places than it inherited from the previous administration.

Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

Absent Voting

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which 100 local authority wards achieved the largest increase in data matching between the Department for Work and Pensions confirmation live run and local authority data matching live run.

Mr Gary Streeter: The 100 wards that achieved the largest increase in data matching between the Department for Work and Pensions and the local authority data matching stage are listed below. Local AuthorityWardDWP match rate (%)LDM match rate (%)Increase (%)LancasterUniversity0100100WestminsterWest End327543WestminsterMarylebone High Street377740Brighton and HoveBrunswick and Adelaide337239WestminsterWarwick428139CamdenWest Hampstead427837Hammersmith and FulhamAddison458237CamdenSwiss Cottage427937WestminsterLancaster Gate377436WestminsterBayswater448036WestminsterKnightsbridge and Belgravia286436WestminsterHarrow Road488335LancasterDukes447935WestminsterBryanston and Dorset Square427635WestminsterLittle Venice508535LancasterEllel589234WestminsterTachbrook508434WestminsterHyde Park397333CamdenFortune Green478033CamdenBelsize488033Hammersmith and FulhamNorth End457732Brighton and HoveRegency376932Hammersmith and FulhamAvonmore and Brook Green498032Hammersmith and FulhamShepherds Bush Green498031Brighton and HoveCentral Hove467731CamdenFrognal and Fitzjohns447531WestminsterSt James’s467731Bath and North East SomersetAbbey447431Hammersmith and FulhamTown518131WestminsterAbbey Road548530Hammersmith and FulhamMunster528230Hammersmith and FulhamAskew548430CamdenHampstead Town518130EalingEaling Broadway598830City of LondonAL346330Hammersmith and FulhamSands End558429Hammersmith and FulhamFulham Broadway538229CamdenCamden Town with Primrose Hill538229Kensington and ChelseaRedcliffe396828Hammersmith and FulhamHammersmith Broadway538128WestminsterQueens Park608828Kensington and ChelseaQueen’s Gate366428CamdenKentish Town538128EalingSouth Acton628928EalingActon Central618928WestminsterVincent Square578427Kensington and ChelseaSt Helen’s497627Hammersmith and FulhamParsons Green and Walham578427CamdenKilburn538027EalingSouthfield659227WestminsterMaida Vale568327Kensington and ChelseaEarl’s Court416727Kensington and ChelseaCourtfield346026Hammersmith and FulhamPalace Riverside628826Kensington and ChelseaBrompton and Hans Town396526BournemouthBoscombe West558126WestminsterRegents Park608526Kensington and ChelseaColville477226EalingEaling Common638825DenbighshireRhyl West648925ShepwayFolkestone Harvey Central598425Kensington and ChelseaPembridge396425HastingsCentral St Leonards507525CamdenHolborn and Covent Garden527725CamdenCantelowes527725BournemouthWinton East618625ScarboroughRamshill558024Kensington and ChelseaHolland Park487224Kensington and ChelseaNorland527624Hammersmith and FulhamFulham Reach517524WandsworthBedford537724Kensington and ChelseaRoyal Hospital456924BournemouthWestbourne and West Cliff608424CardiffButetown578124Kensington and ChelseaAbingdon487224LambethOval517424CamdenGospel Oak608424Richmond upon ThamesSouth Richmond679124WestminsterWestbourne618524CamdenKings Cross477124Richmond upon ThamesTwickenham Riverside689124Bath and North East SomersetKingsmead547723Hammersmith and FulhamRavenscourt Park638623WandsworthNorthcote557823EalingWalpole689123Brighton and HoveGoldsmid598223WandsworthShaftesbury547723Ribble ValleyBowland, Newton and Slaidburn557823ManchesterCity Centre254823WandsworthFairfield557823BristolCabot386123PortsmouthSt Jude567923Kingston upon ThamesGrove598223LambethSt Leonard’s517323BristolCotham365923Kensington and ChelseaCampden497123WestminsterChurch Street658723LambethClapham Town547723WestminsterChurchill679023LambethFerndale497122 It is important to note that due to limitations with the data (as set out in the Commission’s report on the confirmation live run) some figures for individual local authorities or electoral wards may include carried forward electors, those who did not respond to the last household canvass, even though they cannot legally be automatically confirmed.

Absent Voting

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which 10 local authorities had (a) the largest and (b) the smallest improvement between the Department for Work and Pensions confirmation live run and the local authority data matching live run of data transfer.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the list of the local authorities with the largest improvement between matching with the Department of Work and Pensions and local data is included in its report on the confirmation live run which is available on its website, was circulated to all Members of Parliament on publication, and is available in the library of the House of Commons. The local authorities are as follows: Local authority DWP match rate Post-LDM match rate Increase Bournemouth72%87%16%Southwark76%93%16%Richmond upon Thames63%79%17%Ealing71%89%18%Lambeth57%77%20%City of London54%75%21%Kensington and Chelsea48%71%24%Camden52%79%27%Hammersmith and Fulham54%82%28%Westminster49%81%32% The Commission further informs me that it cannot accurately provide the local authorities with the smallest increments. This is a result of limitations with the data, as set out in the Commission’s report, which does not always allow carried forward electors, those who did not respond to the last household canvass and who cannot legally be automatically confirmed, to be reliably separated.   The full dataset is available on the Commission’s website.

Absent Voting

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many and what proportion of people who were registered for a postal vote under the household electoral register did not have their postal vote transferred during the confirmation run of both the Department of Work and Pensions and the local authority data matching pilots; and what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to ensure that people retain their postal vote in the transition to individual electoral registration.

Mr Gary Streeter: In England and Wales, 435,025 existing electors with a postal vote have not been confirmed. This amounts to 7% of postal voters in England and Wales. The Commission will report on the results of the confirmation process in Scotland, including the number of postal voters who have not been confirmed, by the end of November 2014.Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have already written to all postal voters who have not been confirmed to invite them to register individually. EROs are also required by law to write to any such electors who have not responded by the time of the publication of the revised registers by 1 December 2014 and so have lost their absent vote entitlement.The Commission’s guidance to EROs highlights postal voters who have not been confirmed as one of the key groups of electors they should have arrangements in place to target.The Commission will continue to monitor the transition to Individual Electoral Registration and will next report on progress in England and Wales in February 2015. This report will include information on the number of postal voters included on the revised registers. It will also indicate any areas where action needs to be taken by EROs to help to ensure electors can vote using their preferred method of voting at the May 2015 elections. A similar report on progress in Scotland will be published in April 2015.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 208450, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the reasons for the number of those who were not registered to vote not having reduced between 2010 and 2014.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission’s report on the accuracy and completeness of the last electoral registers compiled under household register concluded that it was not clear what may have caused a stabilisation in registration levels. The report speculated on possible reasons including fewer canvass response rates falling below 90% since 2008 and a general stabilisation in turnout levels.However, many of the possible reasons for the decline in levels since the 1990s are still relevant and may explain why levels have not recovered further. These reasons are also set out in the Commission’s report which is available on its website.

Electoral Registration Officers

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how the performance standards for electoral registration officers (EROs) for door-to-door canvassing of non-responders relates to and takes into account an ERO's compliance with the legal duty to conduct such canvassing.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Commission’s performance standards focus on the way in which Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) carry out their statutory functions, with a view to ensuring that electoral registration services are delivered with the needs of electors in mind.EROs are already subject to breach of official duty if they fail to comply with electoral law. It is open to anyone who believes that such an offence may have been committed to refer the matter to the police for investigation. In deciding whether to bring a prosecution the Crown Prosecution Service would consider all relevant circumstances, including the reasons for the alleged breach and whether a prosecution is in the public interest.Where an ERO does not carry out their duties in full, the Commission’s priority is to take action to ensure that the ERO makes improvements to their performance in the discharge of their functions. In doing this, the Commission will consider all available options to determine a proportionate response, based on the facts of each particular case.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what process the Electoral Commission has for updating and reviewing the methodology for estimating the number of unregistered voters; and whether previous estimates are routinely revised when that methodology is changed.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission keeps its approach to measuring the accuracy and completeness of the registers under review. There has been no substantial change to the methodology since the first significant study based on the house-to-house approach, which was published in 2010, and is available on the Commission’s website.The ability to retroactively amend figures would be dependent on the nature of any changes made to the methodology.

Prime Minister

Ofcom

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Prime Minister, whether he has made representations to Ofcom in the last 12 months.

Mr David Cameron: None.

Official Hospitality

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Prime Minister, at which events he has been officially represented at by someone who is not a member of the Government since 2010.

Mr David Cameron: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Defence

Military Operations

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the UK has to include gender advisory capacity as part of its recognised military capability; whether the UK plans to contribute any full-time gender advisers to (a) the rapid reaction force announced by the Prime Minister on 8 September 2014 and (b) other NATO operations and missions in the near future; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Julian Brazier: Holding answer received on 17 October 2014



The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the importance of ensuring that our Armed Froces fully understand the importance of following best practice in relation to equality and diversity issues. That is why Equality and Diversity training is an integral part of the training and education which they receive throughout their careers.NATO is still determining the exact force structure of the Very high Readiness Joint Taskforce It is, therefore, too early to comment on the specific UK contribution.

NATO

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter of intent signed at the NATO Summit on 4 September 2014 on the development of a NATO Joint Expeditionary Force.

Michael Fallon: Holding answer received on 22 October 2014



The UK's Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a pool of flexible high readiness forces able to respond rapidly to global threats. The UK is working with a number of allies to deliver this capability: Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway. This initiative has been welcomed by NATO. A Letter of Intent, signed at the NATO Summit in Wales in September, outlining development until 2018 when JEF becomes fully operational is attached.



210651 - UK - Multi Joint Expenditionary Force
(PDF Document, 281.49 KB)

Tornado Aircraft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whom his Department consulted on its decision as part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review to disband the No 2 squadron of Tornado aircraft.

Michael Fallon: The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 did not decide to disband Number II(AC) Tornado squadron. It took the decision to move, as part of our plans for Future Force 2020, to a fast jet fleet of Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, and to retain a reduced Tornado fleet in the transitional period. Decisions on the timetable for reducing the Tornado fleet were made subsequently and are adjusted as necessary based on advice. Most recently I decided to retain a third Tornado squadron, including Number II(AC) squadron, for an additional year until March 2016.

HMS Victory

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements his Department is making for direct, on board ship monitoring of the work on the HMS Victory wreck site by independent archaeologists.

Anna Soubry: Phased fieldwork on the site will be controlled by the Maritime Heritage Foundation (MHF) and its Scientific Advisory Committee, chaired by Dr Margaret Rule CBE, who led the project to raise the Mary Rose, and will follow the agreed Project Design. Extensive scientific progress reports will be provided to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for its use in decisions to consent to any further work. The MOD has the right to inspect work being conducted at the site. All organisations engaged in such work have given a commitment that the quality of archaeological work on the project will meet or exceed requirements set by the MOD. Examples of scientific reports documenting the non-disturbance phases of the project design are available for public review at www.victory1744.org/publications.htmlIn addition, any licences granted to the MHF by the Marine Management Organisation for works relating to the wreck of HMS Victory 1744 may include a condition requiring monitoring of the activities by an independent archaeologist if that is considered appropriate.

Freedom of Information

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Freedom of Information requests his Department has declined to answer in full since 2010.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) publishes a quarterly statistics bulletin recording Freedom of Information responses from all Government Departments, including the Ministry of Defence. The bulletin includes tables showing how many requests were granted in full, or resulted in some or all information being withheld. The MOJ statistics bulletin can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

Freedom of Information

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on legal fees over prevention of release of information requested by Freedom of Information requests since 2010.

Anna Soubry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 September 2014, (Official Report, column 95W). Since that answer, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has spent a further £17,470.52 in 2013-14, bringing the total in that financial year to £66,319.58. In the current financial year, to date the MOD has spent £14,471.00.



20140901 - Hansard extract on FOI
(Word Document, 26.5 KB)

Armed Forces: Housing

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vacant army dwellings there were on 30 September 2014 in Colchester; and how many such properties had (a) three and (b) four bedrooms.

Anna Soubry: There are currently 926 Service Family accommodation properties in Colchester. On 30 September 2014, 124 of these were unoccupied.Of these 124 unoccupied, 50 were three-bedroomed and 29 were four-bedroomed properties.The Ministry of Defence always maintains a management margin of vacant properties, in order to ensure that properties are available for incoming families and to allow for essential maintenance.36 of the 124 properties have since been allocated to families. They are due to move in these in the near future.

Libya

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department had with the Libyan government on criteria employed to select which Libyan soldiers took part in training at Basingbourne barracks in Cambridgeshire.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Libya

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Libyan soldiers recently in training at Basingbourne barracks, Cambridgeshire were (a) asked by the Government to leave the training programme; and how soon after being asked to leave that programme those soldiers returned to Libya.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2014 to Question 200600, if he will place in the Library a copy of the current revised Reaper Agreement.

Mr Mark Francois: The Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and US remains under review. Any release to the Library will require the agreement of both signatory nations.

Iraq

Mr Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many sorties of armed UK Reapers have been operated over Iraq to date; and how many weapons have been released in such sorties.

Mr Mark Francois: From 22 October up to and including 9 November 2014 there had been 22 RAF Reaper remotely piloted air system missions over Iraq in support of coalition operations against ISIL. In two cases the aircraft was armed and there has been one weapon release.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 12 June 2014 to Question 199415, whether the (a) Joint User Group for Reaper and (b) NATO User Group for Reaper is functional; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Francois: The Joint Reaper Group has been subsumed by the NATO User Group, in which the UK will be a participant. The working title for this group is the 'MQ9 Users Group'. On current plans the MQ9 Users Group is expected to start formally functioning in early 2015.

Libya

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for the training of Libyan troops in the UK: and when he expects that training to end.

Mr Mark Francois: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (Philip Dunne) on 11 November 2014 to Question UIN 213403, to the hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones).



Hansard Extract 11 November 2014.
(Word Document, 25.5 KB)

Aircraft Carriers

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many crew will be required to fully operate each of the two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

Mr Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mark Francois) on 28 October 2014, to Question UIN 210756. 



Hanard Extract 28 October 2014.
(Word Document, 25 KB)

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made with the F-35 Lightning II order; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Program Office has reached an agreement in principle with Lockheed Martin to procure the next four F-35B aircraft for the UK. It is anticipated that the contract will be finalised in the near future, with aircraft deliveries scheduled to commence from mid 2016.

Libya

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the Libyan service personnel who have received training in the UK since the start of this summer have completed the programme.

Mr Mark Francois: Two hundred and twenty eight Libyan General Purpose Force personnel completed their training.

Reserve Forces

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the role of the Reserves is (a) in dealing with civil contingencies and (b) generally; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Julian Brazier: Reservists may be called up for any task for which a Regular may be used, such as resilience and security activities, recent examples including supporting the flooding effort whereby Reservists assisted during civil contingencies particularly with logistic support and building of defences. More recently Reservists were used during the Commonwealth Games to fulfil Venue Security roles.The Reserves Forces Act 1996 also allows for Reservists to be deployed in permanent service under the provisions of the Act (and amended under the Defence Reform Act 2014) if deemed necessary including activities and operations in the UK and Overseas. Reservists have provided formed companies for duties in Cyprus and will also provide a formed platoon for the next rotation in Afghanistan, and work is under way to mobilise medical practitioners to assist with Ebola in Sierra Leone.There is a statutory obligation to report to Parliament when a call out order is made.

Aircraft Carriers

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the basing plans for the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers are; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: As previously announced, the base port for the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers is Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth.

Aircraft Carriers

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) operational and (b) other costs are for (i) crew and (ii) aircraft on each of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

Mr Philip Dunne: The annual cost of a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier's ship's company, based on a planned normal operating complement of 672 at 2014 capitation rates, is £34.6 million. This includes the additional tri-Service Longer Separation Allowance, based on the Royal Navy's normal operating cycle of 660 days at sea over three years.Aircraft costs are attributed by aircraft type not by basing factors. The operational and other costs for embarked aircraft cannot therefore be separated by land or sea-based operation.

Afghanistan

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what equipment has been left behind by British forces in Afghanistan; and what estimate he has made of the value of that equipment.

Mr Mark Francois: I refer the hon. Member to a Ministry of Defence departmental minute laid by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Phillip Hammond) on 30 June 2014 (Official Report, column 44WS)  



 WMS Hansard Extract 30 June 2014
(Word Document, 26.5 KB)

Libya

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will initiate a formal review of the events which led to the recent suspension of UK training of Libyan troops.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of the four large fast fleet tankers for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary being constructed in South Korea.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what bids his Department has received from UK companies for the supply of four large fast fleet tankers for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his future procurement plans for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers are; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The contract to build four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Tankers was awarded to Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in March 2012. Although UK companies participated in the competition to supply the vessels, none submitted a final bid. Following the construction in South Korea, the ships will undergo customisation and trials in the UK, prior to entering service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. A competition for this package of work is under way, and is limited to UK companies. An announcement of the results of this competition, and on the contract for the provision of support for the ships, is expected in 2015.The approved cost for the MARS Tanker project, including the cost of the vessels, and the customisation and trials is £596 million. There are currently no other plans for the procurement of Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tankers.

Afghanistan

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces he expects to remain in Afghanistan as part of the training mission after 2014.

Mr Mark Francois: The UK will contribute a few hundred military personnel to the NATO train, advise and assist mission.

Electronic Warfare

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cyber reservists have been recruited to the Joint Cyber Reserve since September 2013.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the cyber reservists recruited are (a) regular personnel leaving the armed forces, (b) current and former reservists and (c) individuals with no previous military experience.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cyber reservists his Department planned to recruit at the time of announcement of the creation of the Joint Cyber Reserve in September 2013.

Mr Mark Francois: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 March 2014, (Official Report, column 56W) to the hon. Member for Makerfield (Yvonne Fovargue). 



Hansard Extract
(Word Document, 30.5 KB)

Libya

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Government charged the government of Libya for training Libyan forces; and how much of that amount has been received.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Afghanistan

Mr Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 20 March 2014 to Question 191671, and the recommendations of the Birmingham Policy Commission entitled The Security Impact of Drones, published on 22 October 2014, if his Department will request that ISAF publish, with any necessary redactions, the investigations report into the incident on 25 March 2011 in Afghanistan.

Mr Mark Francois: The Department has no plans to make a request to ISAF to publish, redacted or otherwise, the report of the investigation into the incident of 25 March 2011. As we have previously stated, an ISAF investigation was conducted and concluded that the actions of the Reaper crew had been in accordance with extant procedures and Rules of Engagement. Any request to seek the publication of this document should be made directly to the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.

United Nations

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to increase the number of staff officers seconded to UN missions; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

United Nations

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff officers of his Department were seconded to UN missions in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2013-14.

Mr Mark Francois: From 2010 to 2014 the UK was assigned approximately 27 seconded staff officer posts within the UN system. Due to the differing tour lengths of each post and personnel overlaps it has not proven possible to provide an accurate number of personnel deployed in each post on an annual basis.

Peacekeeping Operations

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to increase the UK's contribution to UN peacekeeping activities; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Francois: Membership and engagement with multilateral organisations such as the UN, NATO and in some cases the EU, provide us with opportunities to achieve our security ends more efficiently and effectively than through bilateral channels alone - especially where we can combine efforts with like-minded countries. Various options related to the UK's future contribution to UN peacekeeping are currently being explored. These must be weighed against our role as the fifth biggest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, our national interest and our ongoing national, bilateral, and multilateral obligations and commitments. Any decision to increase our contribution will be made with these factors in mind.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Afghanistan

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2014 to Question 210893, whether the Defence Disposal Services Authority has instructed Agility to sell the tented camp commercially or to give preference to a non-government organisation.

Mr Mark Francois: As stated in my answer of 27 October 2014 to Question 210893, Agility is charged with securing the best value for money for items that our redeployment process has determined should be disposed of in theatre.

Libya

Dr Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to establish a full independent inquiry into the circumstances behind the recent alleged sexual assaults and an alleged rape in Cambridge, including a series of attacks on 17 and 26 October.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Work and Pensions

Employment and Support Allowance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 655W, on employment and support allowance: work capability assessment, what the average wait was for an employment and support allowance applicant between completing the ESA 50 questionnaire and undergoing the work capability assessment in the most recent year for which data are available.

Mr Mark Harper: The average time from receipt of an ESA50 to the completion of face to face work capability assessment (for both Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment), for the period from January 2014 to September 2014, was 102 working days. Maximus Health and Human Services Ltd. has been awarded the contract to succeed Atos Healthcare from March 2015, to undertake Work Capability Assessments. The priority for MAXIMUS Health and Human Services Ltd will be to transition the service smoothly from the current provider, stabilise the operation to deliver the best service possible for claimants, increase the volume of assessments carried out and reduce waiting times without compromising quality. We are continuing to work closely with Atos under the current contract and process claims as quickly as possible.

Employment Schemes

Mr George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which charities, communities projects or businesses have withdrawn from the Community Work Placement scheme.

Mr George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what charities, community projects and businesses benefit from community work placements.

Esther McVey: Community Work Placements are part of Help to Work. They help long-term unemployed people gain work experience which increases their confidence, helps them to gain vital skills and crucially, improves their chances of getting a job. DWP contracts with prime providers. The prime providers source the community work placements. All placements must be of benefit to the community and must not be used to replace existing roles or fill vacancies for paid employment.

Personal Independence Payment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the consistency of the application process for personal independence payments with his Department's duties under the Equality Act 2010.

Mr Mark Harper: As part of the development and design of Personal Independence Payment the Department analysed the likely impacts on protected groups, including disabled people as required by the Equality Act. The DWP published an impact assessment and equality impact assessment on the reform of DLA in May 2012. Equality impact assessments conducted in respect of PIP are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-living-allowance-reform-equality-impact-assessment All our processes are developed to be compliant with the Equality Act and we continually monitor compliance of these processes.

Welfare Assistance Schemes: Greater London

Mr Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding was allocated to (a) the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and (b) each other London borough in 2014-15 to be spent on local welfare assistance schemes.

Steve Webb: The funding for Hammersmith and Fulham is shown in the table below. This information and that requested relating to funding for all the London boroughs can be found on pages 35-37 of the “Local welfare provision review”, published on 5th November 2014, which is available in the House Library, as well as on the Gov.uk website. Local welfare provision review - Publications - GOV.UK  2013/142014/15Local AuthorityProgramme Funding (AME)Admin Funding (DEL)TotalsProgramme Funding (AME)Admin Funding (DEL)TotalsHammersmith & Fulham£588,581£124,372£712,953£588,581£114,000£702,581

Welfare Assistance Schemes

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many local authorities his Department consulted in their review of local welfare assistance schemes.

Steve Webb: We consulted all 150 local authorities that received funding. A questionnaire was sent to them. We received 106 replies. This was followed up with in-depth interviews with twelve local authorities from across the country. The “Local welfare provision review”, published on 5 November 2014, is available in the House Library, as well as on the Gov.uk website Local welfare provision review - Publications - GOV.UK

Welfare Assistance Schemes: Durham

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding was allocated to Durham County Council to be spent on local welfare assistance schemes in 2014-15.

Steve Webb: The funding for Durham County Council is shown in the table below. This information can be found on page 35 of the “Local welfare provision review”, published on 5th November 2014, which is available in the House Library, as well as on the Gov.uk website. Local welfare provision review - Publications - GOV.UK2013/142014/15Local AuthorityProgramme Funding (AME)Admin Funding (DEL)TotalsProgramme Funding (AME)Admin Funding (DEL)TotalsCounty Durham£1,592,057£336,414£1,928,471£1,592,057£308,359£1,900,416

Children: Maintenance

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Child Maintenance Options 0800 telephone number is now free to all callers; and on what date the free service took effect.

Steve Webb: The Child Maintenance Options 0800 telephone number was added to the DWP list of free to call numbers in August 2014. This means calls to Child Maintenance Options from BT landlines and those made by 93 per cent of mobile users, hosted by the six major mobile provider networks, will have the cost of the call met by DWP. Calls from other networks may be free, if they are included within call packages, but this will depend on the network provider. The remaining 7 per cent of calls from mobile users will be able to call the Child Maintenance Options 0800 number free of charge from autumn 2015, which is when the OFCOM ruling requires all network providers to make calls to all 0800 numbers free of charge. We will also offer to call back a customer, if asked, or if concerns are raised over the cost of the call. Alternatively, customers can also use the online ‘live chat’ facility or email service which is available via the Child Maintenance Options website at www.cmoptions.org.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people subject to jobseeker's allowance sanctions have had a recorded mental health problem in each year since 2010.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of jobseeker's allowance have had a recorded mental health problem in each year since 2010.

Esther McVey: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been referred to mandatory work activity in each month since May 2011.

Esther McVey: The latest Official Statistics on mandatory programmes from May 2011 to February 2014, including the number of referrals to Mandatory Work Activity, are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/pre-work-programme-and-get-britain-working#mandatory-programmes.   The next release in the series will be published on 20 November 2014, containing statistics up to and including August 2014.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people engaged in the sector-based work academy placements have had their benefit stopped as a result of not participating in each month since August 2011.

Esther McVey: The available information as requested is shown in the table below. Number of individuals with a Jobseeker’s Allowance sanction applied for failing to participate in Sector-Based Work Academy Placements, in each month: Great Britain, August 2011 to March 2014.  MonthNumber of individualsAug-110Sep-110Oct-115Nov-1116Dec-116Jan-1218Feb-1216Mar-1214Apr-1218May-1217Jun-1215Jul-1213Aug-1211Sep-1215Oct-1231Nov-1234Dec-1230Jan-1315Feb-139Mar-1325Apr-1329May-1356Jun-1337Jul-1347Aug-1347Sep-1345Oct-1373Nov-1364Dec-1363Jan-1445Feb-1450Mar-1487 Source: DWP Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. Notes:1. Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data.2. Information for this sanction reason is only available from August 2011 and the latest data available is up to 31 March 2014.3. The table above shows the number of adverse sanction decisions made for the referral reason: Refusal or failure to comply with a sector-based work academy placement without good reason (SBWAP).4. An adverse decision is a decision to apply a sanction i.e. a decision found against the claimant so a sanction is applied.5. Sector based work academies are made up of three components: pre-employment training; a work experience placement; and a guaranteed job interview. Claimants voluntarily choose to participate. Once they start a placement, jobseekers are required to complete the pre-employment training and guaranteed job interview.6. In Feb 2012 the DWP announced that Sanctions will no longer be applied to the benefits of those who do not start or who leave the work experience component of a sector based work academy.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people engaged in the work experience scheme have had their benefit stopped as a result of not participating in each month since January 2011.

Esther McVey: The available information as requested is shown in the table below. Number of individuals with a Jobseeker's Allowance sanction applied for failing to participate in Work Experience, in each month: Great Britain, January 2011 to March 2012 MonthNumber of individualsJan-110Feb-110Mar-110Apr-110May-115Jun-1121Jul-1130Aug-1160Sep-1164Oct-1139Nov-1158Dec-1177Jan-1246Feb-1237Mar-126 Source: DWP Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. Notes:1. Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data.2. The table above shows the number of adverse sanction decisions made for the referral reason: Failure to participate in a scheme for assisting person to obtain employment without good reason - Work Experience.3. An adverse decision is a decision to apply a sanction i.e. a decision found against the claimant so a sanction is applied.4. In February 2012 the DWP announced that sanctions will no longer be applied to the benefits of those who do not start, or who leave, Work Experience.5. This information is published at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in each London local authority have been capped by (a) less than £50, (b) between £50 and £100, (c) £100 to £150, (d) £150 to £200, (e) £200 to £250, (f) £250 to £300, (g) £300 to £350, (h) £350 to £400 and (i) £400 and above as a consequence of the benefit cap.

Esther McVey: The information requested is provided in the attached document: Capped Households in London by Local Authority and can be found at the following link: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming universal credit have an income less than £330 a month inclusive of their universal credit payment.

Mr Mark Harper: The information you have requested is not currently available. The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit in September 2013 which can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics These statistics however will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. As outlined in the strategy, officials are currently quality assuring data for Universal Credit, therefore it is not yet possible to give a definitive list of what statistics will be provided in the future.

Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the people assessed under the minimum earnings threshold since its introduction have been found not to be in genuine and effective work.

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been assessed under the minimum earnings threshold to date.

Esther McVey: Since March 2014, the Minimum Earnings Threshold has helped Jobcentre Plus and HMRC determine whether an EEA national undertaking work activity can be treated as a ‘worker’ or ‘self-employed’ person for the purposes of certain means-tested benefits and tax credits (including Jobseekers Allowance, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit). The Minimum Earnings Threshold helps determine whether an individual’s work is (or has been) ‘genuine and effective’. In general the claimant has to show that they have been earning £153 per week (point at which employed earners have to start paying National Insurance Contributions) for 3 consecutive months. Where this threshold has not been met then decision-makers will consider the specific details of the case. We do not collect specific information on the number of EEA national claimants who have been assessed against the Minimum Earnings Threshold, nor on the number of EEA nationals whose work has been found to not be ‘genuine and effective’ under that test.

Social Security Benefits: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency were waiting for (a) a decision on an application for personal independence payment and (b) a work capability assessment on the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr Mark Harper: Information on the number of applications for personal independence payment awaiting a decision from a DWP decision maker is not available. The published information does not break down applications by where they are in the claiming process, which has several stages. The information requested for work capability assessments is not available as Atos Healthcare do not record information at a constituency level.

Personal Independence Payment: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency are currently in receipt of personal independence payments.

Mr Mark Harper: Information on the number of claimants in receipt of personal independence payment, by parliamentary constituency, has been published and can be found at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

Welfare Assistance Schemes: Bolton

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding was allocated to Bolton Council in 2014-15 for local welfare assistance schemes.

Steve Webb: The funding for Bolton Council is shown in the table below. This information can be found on page 35 of the “Local welfare provision review”, published on 5th November 2014, which is available in the House Library, as well as on the Gov.uk website Local welfare provision review - Publications - GOV.UK  2013/142014/15Local AuthorityProgramme Funding (AME)Admin Funding (DEL)TotalsProgramme Funding (AME)Admin Funding (DEL)TotalsBolton£1,017,045£214,909£1,231,954£1,017,045£196,987£1,214,032

Welfare Assistance Schemes

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many local authorities his Department consulted during the review of local welfare assistance schemes.

Steve Webb: We consulted all 150 local authorities that received funding. A questionnaire was sent to them. We received 106 replies. This was followed up with in-depth interviews with twelve local authorities from across the country. The “Local welfare provision review”, published on 5th November 2014, is available in the House Library, as well as on the Gov.uk website.Local welfare provision review - Publications - GOV.UK

Universal Credit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that all universal credit claimants are informed of their options for budgeting support, advance payments and alternative payment arrangements.

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to ensure that IT systems for universal credit will not increase levels of error and delays in processing claims, payments and changes of circumstances.

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of manual processes for identifying and rectifying system errors in universal credit.

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish an evaluation of the impact of (a) universal credit and (b) new claims with a housing cost element in current Pathfinder areas.

Mr Mark Harper: The recent UC at Work publication (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-at-work) sets out how Universal Credit is working and our continued approach to delivering Universal Credit safely and securely, testing and learning from experience, and driving continuous improvement of the service for our claimants, and overall benefit to the taxpayer.

Social Security Benefits: Disclosure of Information

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information on claimants and their circumstances and partners is shared automatically between his Department and relevant partners.

Steve Webb: DWP shares information on customers and their partners with third parties only where it is lawful and appropriate to do so. Therefore DWP does not automatically share information about its customers or their partners with anyone. Appropriate claimant details are regularly given to providers delivering services associated with benefit claims, including health assessment and employment programmes.

Post Office Card Account

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many accounts paid into a Post Office card account there are in each (a) constituent part of the UK and (b) constituency.

Steve Webb: There were 129,916,212 payments paid into Post Office card accounts from April 2013 to March 2014. The information regarding volumes of payments paid into Post Office card accounts by constituent part of the UK and constituency is not available in the format requested.

Post Office Card Account

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Post Office card account holders there are in each (a) constituent part of the UK and (b) constituency.

Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 16/10/14. PQ 210281 refers. I can confirm that there are 2,856,386 Post Office card account customers in total and the information with regard to constituency is not available in the format requested.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many organisations which have provided work placements for the Community Work Placement scheme have since withdrawn from that scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Community Work Placements are part of Help to Work. They help long-term unemployed people gain work experience which increases their confidence, helps them to gain vital skills and crucially, improves their chances of getting a job. DWP contracts with prime providers. The prime providers source the community work placements. All placements must be of benefit to the community and must not be used to replace existing roles or fill vacancies for paid employment.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sanction recommendations have been made for every 1000 jobseeker referrals made by each Work Programme provider.

Esther McVey: Work Programme data on sanctions at the level asked for is not held.   The data held on Work Programme sanctions shows how many referrals and adverse decisions were made in numbers, and as a percentage, for every provider in every Contract Package Area. This can be found on the DWP internet site through the following link:  http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool

Newcastle College Group

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what total incentive payment he expects to make to Newcastle College Group in respect of its Work Programme performance.

Esther McVey: Incentive payments for Work Programme providers are calculated on year four performance. Year four has not concluded, therefore incentive payments have not been assessed for any provider.

Forced Labour

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2014 to Question 212707, whether his Department records cases of (a) forced labour and (b) trafficking for labour exploitation identified by the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Harper: This information is not recorded by my department or the Health and Safety Executive. Forced labour and trafficking for labour exploitation do not fall within the remit of the Health and Safety Executive as they are covered by the Home Office.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Steve Webb: In 1998, the Department sold all property interests as part of a PFI arrangement with Telereal Trillium. Since that date we have leased back fully serviced accommodation as part of the PRIME contract. In consequence, the Department does not own any buildings.

Children: Maintenance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 44 of Information about Secondary Legislation Arising from the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, published by his Department in January 2008, if he will publish the report of the evaluation to test the links between payments of child maintenance and client behaviour concerning the repayment of other financial commitments.

Steve Webb: The report ‘Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill: Disclosure of Information to credit reference agencies - exploratory analysis’ was published by the Department in 2008 and a copy is attached.



Disclosure Information/ Exploratory Analysis
(PDF Document, 254.64 KB)

Poverty: Greater London

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in each parliamentary constituency in London and Greater London are classed as living in poverty; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Estimates of the total number of individuals living in poverty at a regional level are available from the latest Households Below Average Income publication in table 3.6db which can be accessed here:   https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-hbai-199495-to-201213

Personal Independence Payment: Motherwell

Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency have been migrated from disability living allowance to personal independence payments to date.

Mr Mark Harper: Information on the number of existing disability living allowance claimants who have been reassessed for and awarded personal independence payment, at parliamentary constituency level, has been published and can be found at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk. Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm.

Pensions: Direct Selling

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the extent of the use of cold calling in relation to pension fund transfers.

Steve Webb: The National Crime Agency monitors trends in fraudulent activity, including cold calls, to help target action. Whilst we cannot put a precise figure on transfer-related activity initiated by cold calls it is apparent that cold calling is a route often used by scammers. The public and industry can do their bit to help develop the intelligence picture by reporting concerns to Action Fraud (http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/).   More generally, both the Pensions Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority are running information campaigns (Scorpion and ScamSmart respectively) as part of Project Bloom to raise the profile of the threat posed by pension and investment scams.

Travel

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Steve Webb: (a) This information has already been published and can be found at: (i) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm(ii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm(iii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101028/wmstext/101028m0001.htm#10102827000372 (b) This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.



Cost of Ministerial Cars 2007-2010
(Word Document, 113.5 KB)

Members: Correspondence

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will arrange for his Department's Permanent Secretary to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Cardiff West concerning Mr Robert Shafer.

Steve Webb: The Permanent Secretary wrote to the hon. Member on 12 November 2014.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sanctions were issued to Jobseeker's Allowance claimants in the past year; how many such sanctions were issued as a consequence of not participating in a training or employment scheme; and how many of those were a consequence of missing a single interview.

Esther McVey: The information requested in respect of Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions by reason, is published and can found in table 1.5 at:   https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions   This includes those who are sanctioned for the reason “Failure to attend or failure to participate in an Adviser interview without good reason”. However information on how many of those were as a consequence of missing a single interview is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how often his Department reviews its processes regarding the logging of emails, letters and other correspondence received; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: My Department aims to respond to all correspondence within 20 working days in line with its published targets. Officials responsible for handling correspondence keep the processes constantly under review to ensure they are fit for purpose.   Current guidance on handling correspondence from Members of Parliament, Peers, Members of the European Parliament and Members of devolved Administrations is available online at the following link - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61196/guide-handling-gov-correspondence.pdf

Personal Independence Payment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department will publish the average waiting times for decisions on personal independence payment claims.

Mr Mark Harper: Departmental statisticians are continuing to develop measures around clearance and waiting times to ensure they provide a rounded and representative picture of personal independence payment performance, improvement activity and the claimants’ experience. These statistics will be published when they are ready, with the release pre-announced in line with United Kingdom Statistics Authority release protocols.

Personal Independence Payment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the review of personal independence payment by Paul Gray will include information on waiting times for assessments and for decisions from the Department on claims; and when that review is due to be published.

Mr Mark Harper: The independent review of personal independence payment (PIP) being conducted by Paul Gray CB is subject to terms of reference which have been published on the PIP independent review page of GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessments-first-independent-review. As stated, Paul Gray will present his report to the Secretary of State before the end of 2014, after which the report will be made available from the same page.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his statement of 13 October 2014, Official Report, column 18, for what reasons the target in his press release of 24 May 2012 has been missed.

Mr Mark Harper: This is a fundamental Reform and we are determined to get it right. Our Focus has been the safe and controlled delivery of Universal Credit and we have achieved this. UC will be rolled out across the whole country in 2015.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his statement of 13 October 2014, Official Report, column 18, when he expects legacy benefits to be closed to new claims.

Mr Mark Harper: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 11 November 2014, UIN213752.

Children: Maintenance

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the fees to be collected from applicants using the Child Maintenance Service in Scotland in (a) 2014, (b) 2015, (c) 2016 and (d) 2017.

Steve Webb: Paragraph 103 of the CSA Case Closure, Introducing CMS Fees, Supporting Family Based Arrangements Impact Assessment gives an estimate of the income expected to be raised through the introduction of application fees. This Impact Assessment, published on 22 November 2013, is available at   https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/259694/cm-case-closure-and-charges-regs-ia-final.pdf   No separate estimate for Scotland has been made.

Personal Independence Payment: Motherwell

Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency have been unsuccessful in their application for Personal Independence Payments since June 2013.

Mr Mark Harper: The available information on the number of claims received and cleared for personal independence payment, and success rates for claims, at parliamentary constituency level, has been published in the data tables accompanying the latest statistical release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-july-2014.

Children: Maintenance

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Glasgow North constituency and (b) Scotland made an application to use the Child Maintenance Service between July and September 2014.

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people made an application to use the Child Maintenance Service for the year to 30 June 2014 in (a) Glasgow North constituency and (b) Scotland.

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applicants in Glasgow North constituency were using the Child Maintenance Service in (a) January and (b) September 2014.

Steve Webb: The 2012 child maintenance scheme, administered by the Child Maintenance Service, was opened to all new applicants on 25 November 2013. We are not yet in a position to release full statistics, therefore we are unable to provide the information requested. When system data becomes available and fully assured they will be released as part of a managed process, which will be pre-announced and in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.   We have released limited, relevant data on the 2012 statutory child maintenance scheme on an experimental basis. This is available on the GOV.UK website at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-on-the-2012-statutory-child-maintenance-scheme.

Employment and Support Allowance: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the sanctions regime for claimants of employment and support allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Harper: We know sanctions are effective in encouraging claimants to comply with requirements designed to support them and improve their chances of finding or preparing for work. DWP research[1] suggests that 61% of ESA claimants say they are more likely to follow the rules due to the threat of a sanction. In any month less than 1% of eligible ESA claimants are sanctioned, the vast majority do comply and take up the support on offer.However, we are not complacent and continue to monitor the sanctions system. We have accepted all of Matthew Oakley’s recommendations and have already made a number of improvements. We will continue to keep the sanctions system under review and any improvements will be across all benefits.[1] The Jobcentre Plus Offer: Final Evaluation Report https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/261656/rrep852.pdf

Housing Benefit: Dundee

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of housing benefit there are in Dundee East constituency.

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of housing benefit there are in Perth and North Perthshire constituency.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of housing benefit there are in Moray constituency.

Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of housing benefit there are in Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency.

Dr Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of housing benefit there are in Banff and Buchan constituency.

Steve Webb: This information is published and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

White Fish: Conservation

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to introduce at an EC level measures to reduce sea bass mortality by 80 per cent by 2015.

George Eustice: The Commission has proposed EU bass management measures for 2015, which will be considered at December Fisheries Council. As part of those discussions I will continue to press for an approach which will ensure bass stocks recover and become sustainable.

Floods: Insurance

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to assess the affordability of flood insurance for small businesses in flood hit areas following the expiry of the Statement of Principles between the Government and the Association of British Insurers.

Dan Rogerson: We are currently undertaking monitoring of the insurance market for both households and small businesses. This will look at the availability of insurance, and the experience of small businesses in obtaining insurance cover in high flood risk areas.

Floods: Insurance

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the annual salary of the Chief Executive of the Flood Re scheme will be; how that salary was determined; and from what budget funding for that salary will be drawn.

Dan Rogerson: The salary of the CEO of the Flood Re Scheme is a matter for the Directors of Flood Re who undertook the recruitment, and the Association of British Insurers whose members are currently funding the project set up costs including staff costs. It was determined by reference to current market rates for a reinsurance company. The salary will in future be funded from the Flood Re income and be disclosed in its annual report and accounts, which will be laid before Parliament as a public document.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many buildings her Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Dan Rogerson: We have interpreted ‘buildings’ to mean ‘sites’. A site can be made up of several of buildings.The table below shows the number of sites sold by core Defra by financial year. Financial year10/1111/1212/1313/1414/15 to date.  Number of sites sold164033

Pets: Animal Welfare

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action the Government plans to take to address neglect, cruelty and abandonment of pets.

George Eustice: The Government abhors animal cruelty but considers that there are laws in place enabling enforcers to take action when such suffering occurs.

Animal Welfare

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received from the RSPCA on updating animal welfare legislation.

George Eustice: The RSPCA recently launched their manifesto which contains several suggestions for amending animal welfare legislation. In addition Defra also receives direct representations from the RSPCA for ways animal welfare legislation can be changed.

Pets: Sales

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will update legislation regarding the selling and breeding of pets to reflect the increased trade of pets on the internet.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will take steps to prevent the casual breeding and purchasing of pets to prevent subsequent abandonment and neglect.

George Eustice: The existing legislation in this area provides enforcers with powers to tackle complaints about poor welfare in breeding establishments and pet shops. The existing laws on the selling of pet animals apply to the commercial selling of animals over the internet for businesses based in this country. Defra has been working with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) and the main internet advertising sites who have adopted minimum standards for the on-line advertising of pet animals. Since PAAG launched the minimum standards last year (which were endorsed by Defra), over 100,000 inappropriate advertisements have been removed from the internet. Defra with PAAG will continue to press other internet sites to adopt the minimum standards and some sites will go further.

Inland Waterways

Mr Michael Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local waterways blocked by flooding are reopened for community use as soon as possible.

Dan Rogerson: Canals and rivers are an important asset for tourism and recreation, which the Government aims to protect and promote. However, the maintenance and dredging of canals and other waterways is an operational matter for the relevant Navigation Authority.

Travel

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what total amount her Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Dan Rogerson: (a) This information has already been published and can be found at:(i) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm(ii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm(iii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101028/wmstext/101028m0001.htm#10102827000372(b) Due to the way payments are recorded on Core Defra’s finance system, it is not possible to distinguish the costs of Ministerial car hire from the costs of cars hired by civil servants. Such a breakdown could only be provided at disproportionate cost.The table below therefore lists the value of all Departmental payments in respect of non-GCDA car hire in financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.  Spend on OtherHire Cars (£)2007-0859,7112008-0935,5302009-1025,168

Air Pollution: Greater London

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of air quality in London; and if she will make a statement.

Dan Rogerson: Defra uses both monitoring and modelling to assess air quality in the UK. Data is updated hourly on our website at: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/. For the 17 automatic monitoring sites in London, modelled data for previous years and projections for the achievement of EU air quality limit values for nitrogen dioxide are also available on the website.

Air Pollution: Greater London

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of public health risks from air pollution in London; and if she will make a statement.

Dan Rogerson: The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) advises the Government on all matters concerning the health effects of air pollutants. COMEAP has previously assessed the effects of long-term exposure to air pollution on mortality. It has also assessed mortality effects from particulate matter specifically, which included an assessment for London. The reports are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/comeap-reports.   Mortality attributable to particulate air pollution is included in the Public Health Outcomes Framework, used to assess progress by local authorities in addressing this health issue.

Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how often her Department reviews its processes regarding the logging of emails, letters and other correspondence received; and if she will make a statement.

Dan Rogerson: Core Defra keeps processes under continuous review to improve the services we provide.

Dangerous Dogs

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse has been of policing the Dangerous Dogs Act  each year since 2010.

George Eustice: The cost of policing the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is a matter for each police force and is not held centrally.

Home Office

Asylum: Sudan

Mr Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the conditions of the recent report of the Dangers of Returning Home by Waging Peace on the monitoring of Sudanese nationals by Sudanese intelligence and security staff within UK borders and the use of the evidence gathered during detention and torture in Sudan, if the Government will reassess the appropriateness of the use of Detained Fast Track in Sudanese asylum cases.

James Brokenshire: The Detained Fast Track (DFT) and the Detained Non-Suspensive Appeals (DNSA) process exist to deal with claims for asylum that appear, after screening, to be ones where a particularly quick decision can be made. Entry to the Detained Fast Track procedure is determined by reference to published policy available on the Gov.uk website. The policy neither requires nor excludes claims based on the nationality or country of origin of the claimants. The system operates flexibly and in cases where it becomes apparent that a claim is more complicated and cannot be determined within the DFT/DNSA indicative time-scale, the case is taken out of the process and the claimant normally released from detention.

Illegal Immigrants

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who have (a) been deported from the UK and (b) left the UK under the Assisted Voluntary Return of Assisted Migrants scheme have been found to have subsequently returned to the UK in each year from 2005 to 2014.

James Brokenshire: The number of migrants who subsequently returned to the UK in both categories could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Overseas Students

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) assessment she has made and (b) research he has commissioned on the potential effect on UK export growth of the inclusion of foreign students in the Government's net migration target.

James Brokenshire: There is no cap on the number of foreign students who can come to the UK so there is no effect on UK export growth from their inclusion in the way the UK measures net migration. Net migration statistics are produced by the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS). In line with the internationally agreed UN definition, these statistics define a migrant as someone changing their normal place of residence for more than a year. This includes students in net migration in the same way as other migrants are included. Other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand also include students in their net migration figures. Net migration measures the difference between the number of people coming to the UK and the number leaving, so if students return home after their studies, their impact on long-term net migration will be minimal. The ONS has recently improved its methodology so that it is possible to better identify students in the emigration flows to give a more accurate measure of the contribution of students to overall net migration. In the last year, 124,000 non-EU students came to Britain to stay for more than 12 months, and the ONS estimates that only 50,000 left the country. All migrants who are in the UK for 12 months or more have an impact on our communities, infrastructure and public services.

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Welsh Language

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to implement the recommendations in paragraph 12.2 of the report of the Commission on Devolution in Wales published in March 2014 in relation to the Welsh language registration of births, marriages and deaths and cremations and burials.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 03 November 2014



Her Majesty’s Passport Office (the Directorate of the Home Office which is responsible for civil registration in England and Wales) is currently pursuing options to modernise civil registration. As part of this work, discussions have already taken place with officials in the Welsh Government and the Wales Office to examine how Welsh language services can be improved as part of this work. These discussions will continue with a view to bringing forward options as to how the issues raised in 12.2.2. of the report of the Commission on Devolution in Wales might be addressed.

Guildford Four

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the 75-year embargo placed on government-held files relating to the Guildford Four; and if she will consider releasing them earlier.

James Brokenshire: There is no embargo on government-held files relating to the Guildford Four. Public release of such information retained by government departments or held closed at The National Archives is determined in line with the provisions of the Public Records Act 1958.

Deportation: Students

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many students of each institution have been deported from UK universities and colleges as a result of Educational Testing Service investigations in each month since February 2014.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many students of have been deported from UK universities and colleges as a result of investigations into Educational Testing Service since February 2014.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the country of origin was of each student deported as a result of the BBC Panorama investigation broadcast in February 2014; and to which country was each such student returned.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 03 November 2014



Following investigations, significant steps have been taken to identify, locate and remove those who have fraudulently obtained visas through abuse of ETS. The Home Office publishes quarterly transparency data which shows the total number of individuals who have been removed as a result of their involvement in the Educational Testing Service fraud. The most recent published data covers the period up to 30 June 2014 and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-and-permanent-migration-data-august-2014 As at 30 June, the Home Office had made more than 1800 refusal and removal decisions, carried out almost 800 enforcement visits, detained over 300 individuals and removed over 90.We are unable to break the number of individuals who have been removed into sub groups based on the institution of study as this runs the risk of making those individuals identifiable. In addition to this the data that would be required to make the requested breakdown is not available from one source and would incur disproportionate costs to gather it manually. As I stated to the House on 24 June, the Home Office will provide regularupdates to the House. These updates will be provided as part of the regular publication of data on the department’s work on borders and immigration.

British Nationality: Criminal Records

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to check whether applicants for British citizenship have criminal records.

James Brokenshire: Every applicant for British citizenship has their details checked against the Police National Computer.

European Arrest Warrants

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the UK may exclude any offences from the scope of the European Convention on Extradition that fall under the scope of the European Arrest Warrant and cannot be moved from that warrant's scope by the UK; and what offences the UK has so excluded.

James Brokenshire: Article 2(3) of the European Convention on Extradition allows a Contracting Party to exclude offences from the application of the Convention where its domestic law does not allow extradition for those offences. At the time of ratification in May 1991, the UK made two reservations concerning Article 2 of the Convention. One of these reserved the right to refuse extradition if it appears, in relation to the offence(s) in respect of which a person's return is sought, that by reason of its trivial nature, or because the accusation is not made in good faith in the interests of justice, extradition would in all the circumstances be unjust or oppressive. The UK has not made any further reservations or notifications concerning Article 2. Other Contracting Parties may also exclude offences under Article 2(3), making this a less effective tool than the European Arrest Warrant for returning wanted British criminals to face justice. Under the Convention, extradition takes longer and is more expensive than surrender under the European Arrest Warrant. It is also less effective as a Contracting Party may also refuse to extradite its own nationals under the Convention, which means that some people may never face justice. In non-European Arrest Warrant cases, the following EU Member States havean absolute bar on extraditing their own nationals to the UK:AustriaBelgiumCzech RepublicFinland FranceGermanyGreeceLatviaLuxembourgSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenA further nine have made declarations to the European Convention on Extradition to the effect that they will not extradite their own nationals:BulgariaCroatiaCyprusEstoniaHungaryLithuaniaPolandPortugalRomania

Mohammed Mattar

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the collapse of the trial of Mohammed Mattar; what  costs to her Department arose from that trial; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Although one aspect of the investigation has been discontinued, a live investigation continues to be progressed. Accordingly, it wouldnot be appropriate to comment further.The information requested regarding costs is not readily available and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Police and Crime Commissioners

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the net effect to date on public expenditure of the introduction of police and crime commissioners; and if she will make a statement.

Mike Penning: Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have introduced direct democratic accountability to policing. Their role and function is dramatically different to the invisible and ineffective Police Authorities they replaced. The Government has not made an estimate of the net effect on public expenditure, nor are the roles directly comparable. PCCs are providing an impetus to reform and are delivering policing more efficiently. As recognised by HMIC’s independent report "Policing in Austerity: Meeting the Challenge", police forces and PCCs have risen to the challenge of delivering savings and supporting collaboration whilst maintaining and improving services for the public. The proportion of officers on the frontline is increasing, victim satisfaction is up and crime continues to fall.The Government’s police reforms are working. Under this Government, overall crime has fallen by more than a fifth according to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales.

Passports

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what average time is taken to process applications from UK citizens waiting to return to the UK with surrogate children from outside the EU.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not hold information relating to UK citizens wishing to return to the UK with surrogate children from outside the EU. The number of Entry Clearance applications to bring adopted non-EU children to the UK over the past 3 years, along with the average time taken to process such applications is shown in the following table.  201120122013Applications processed1138860Average time taken to process applications (working days)66.514.824.1 Visa endorsements for adoption and settlement. Source: HO Management Information, Performance, Reporting and Analysis Unit, 05.11.14

Offences against Children

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which person in her Department issued the D-notice imposed on the journalist Don Hale in 1984 in relation to a list of hon. Members allegedly named as being involved in child abuse.

Lynne Featherstone: No such notice was ever issued. A ‘D Notice’ - or Defence Advisory (DA) Notice) can only be authorised by the Secretary of the Defence Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee (DPBAC). The Defence Advisory (DA) Notice System is a purely voluntary compact between Government and the national media and is designed solely to avoid the inadvertent public disclosure of core national security information. It offers advice only, and that advice can be accepted or rejected, in whole or in part by the media, and is not supported by any form of sanction, legal or otherwise. No ‘D Notice’ advice aimed at shielding senior figures involved in criminal activities was, or could ever have been issued, let alone complied with.

Sexting: Young People

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues to assist police officers handling allegations of sexting in cases where the perpetrator is under the age of 18.

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department can take to remove illegal sexting images sent through mobile telephones and other electronic devices; and how many such images have been so removed in each of the last five years.

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many allegations of sexting, in cases where images of people under the age of 18 have been taken and or stored by other under the age of 18 have been reported to the police in each police authority area in each of the last five years; and how many such cases were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for a prosecution decision.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 07 November 2014



The Department does not hold information on the number of cases of indecent images of children either self-taken, or possessed, by an under-18 reported to the police or referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.I should also be clear that the Department is not able to intercept private communications between mobile phones and other devices to remove self-taken indecent images of children.The police are operationally independent and it is not for the Home Office to direct officers how to do their job. The Child Protection and Abuse Investigation Business Area Lead for the police has produced guidance on dealing with young people who share self-taken indecent images, and this is available to all officers.We have a responsibility to educate young people to use technology safely and strongly discourage them from sharing self-taken indecent photographs. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command of the National Crime Agency has developed a specific educational resource to tackle ‘sexting’, which is designed for use by teachers. In addition, in December 2013 the Government launched the latest ‘This is Abuse’ campaign, which includes messages about the issue of ‘sexting’ as part of radio, online and social media advertising.

Asylum: Libya

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Libyan service personnel receiving military training in the UK (a) have been granted political asylum in the UK and (b) are applying to be granted political asylum in the UK.

James Brokenshire: The general policy of the Home Office is not to disclose personal information about another person. This is because we have obligations under the Data Protection Act and in law generally to protect this information.The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection and every claim will be considered on its individual merits.

Teleperformance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many countries Teleperformance operates as a commercial partner to UK Visas and Immigration.

James Brokenshire: Teleperformance are currently operating in 74 countries on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration.

Aviation

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fines have been given to the agents or owners of private aircraft for having persons onboard with inadequate immigration documents in each year since 2010.

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many general aviation pre-flight passenger notifications were not submitted in the timescales specified in the Commissioners' Directions in each month since they were introduced in 2013.

James Brokenshire: The requested data is not held centrally.The Home Office does not hold data on how many private flights did not submit advance notification within timescales specified in the Commisioners' Directions. Border Force has the capability to identify flights which have not submitted advance data; this then informs part of the risk assessment process. Where a flight does not submit advance data it will automatically be classified as High Priority.

Borders: Personal Records

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many private flights landing in the UK have been checked against the semaphore system in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire: The information requested in this question is not available for release on the grounds of operational security. Border Force carries out checks against all General Aviation flights notified.

Stalking

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce cyber stalking.

Lynne Featherstone: The law is clear that what is illegal off-line is also illegal on-line and we have robust legislation in place to deal with internet trolls, cyber stalking and harassment. The government brought in new stalking laws in November 2012 which sends a clear message that those responsible for stalking should be brought to justice. This will also help stop people living in fear and prevent escalation to more serious violence. From April 2013 to March 2014, 743 prosecutions were commenced under the new stalking legislation. This is a significant increase from the 67 prosecutions that were commenced from November 2012 to March 2013 and shows that the legislation is taking effect.The government continues to work in collaboration with the College of Policing, the National Policing Lead on Stalking, and the Crown Prosecution Service, amongst others, to further raise awareness of the legislation and promote training to ensure these offences are tackled effectively. In July 2013 the Crown Prosecution Service published guidelines for prosecutors on the approach they should take in cases involving communications sent via social media. The College of Policing also wrote to all Chief Officers in July 2013 with advice on tackling online abuse.

Illegal Immigrants: France

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to reduce the numbers of illegal migrants arriving in the UK from Calais.

James Brokenshire: Security of the UK border is a top priority. Basing UK immigration controls in France enables Border Force to stop illegal migrants before they reach our shores. Since 2010, this Government has invested millions in strengthening the security of our border in Calais and at other key ports. We have bolstered physical security in Calais, upgraded technology and equipment and increased joint intelligence work with the French.The Home Secretary and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve recently reaffirmed their commitment to further joint action at Calais, including a £12 million contribution from the UK Government towards bolstering security and infrastructure. The priority now is to implement the practical solutions that have been agreed. Work has started on installing the security fences we provided and should be completed over the coming weeks. This will build on the sustained UK support and investment in improving physical security and upgrading technology at Calais. We are also working to deliver longer term solutions. This includes improving the infrastructure and flow of traffic at Calais in order to reduce the risk of queuing vehicles on the approach roads which are targeted by migrants.But we recognise that the problem does not begin in Calais. That is why we are enhancing joint work with France and other European partners to clamp down on the organised crime groups behind people smuggling. This is in addition to broader work with European and International partners to address the wider problem of illegal migration, of which Calais is just one visible sign.

Domestic Violence

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to improve the effectiveness of detection, prosecution and sentencing of domestic violence offences.

Lynne Featherstone: Latest data from the CPS Violence against Women and Girls Crime Report 2013-2014 show the volume of domestic violence referrals from the police rising to 103,569, the highest level ever. Prosecutions and convictions have risen by over 10% in the last year, with the conviction rate at its highest ever level at 74.6%. However the Government continues to actively pursue ways in which we can prevent domestic violence and abuse happening in the first place, do even more to help victims, bring perpetrators to justice and eradicate these crimes. In September 2013, the Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to undertake a comprehensive review on how the police deal with domestic abuse. HMIC published its findings in March 2014 and highlighted significant police failings. In response to the HMIC review, the Home Secretary has established a national oversight group to ensure that the police change the way they respond to domestic abuse and made clear to all chief constables that every police force must have an action plan in place. All forces have now produced plans that are being reviewed by HMIC.The Government is also committed to supporting the police in tackling domestic violence and abuse, to bring offenders to justice and to ensure victims have the support they need to rebuild their lives. On 8 March, we announced the national roll-out of Domestic Violence Protection Orders and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme across England and Wales. We have also ring-fenced £40 million of funding for specialist local support services and national helplines over this Parliament. Domestic abuse is not just about violence. Coercive and controlling behaviour can be harder to recognise but can have an equally devastating impact on its victims. In recognition of this, in March 2013 we expanded the Government definition of domestic abuse to capture non-violent behaviour. The Government has additionally recently consulted on whether the law needs to be strengthened by making a specific offence of domestic abuse to offer the best possible protection to victims. That consultation has closed and responses are currently being analysed.

Immigration

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been convicted of offences under section 24(1)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immigration

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been convicted of offences under section 24A of the Immigration Act 1971 in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The table below provides the number of defendants proceeded against for offences under Section 24A of the Immigration Act 1971 in England and Wales from 2009 to 2013. The statistics on defendants proceeded against for offences under Immigration Acts 1971 to 2007 in England and Wales are supplied by the Ministry of Justice for the Home Office to publish annually within Immigration Statistics. Annual data is available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics: April – June 2014, table pr_01, from the Library of the House and from the GOV.UK website at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2014 



Defendants proceeded against
(Excel SpreadSheet, 11.39 KB)

Bail

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2014 to Question 211616, if her Department will issue guidance to police on a maximum duration for pre-trial bail; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2014 to Question 211617, if her Department will require police forces to collect information on the number of people on pre-charge police bail in their area.

Mike Penning: As set out in answer to my Hon Friend’s Question 211616, the Home Office will consult shortly on how best to put in place a limit on the duration of pre-charge bail that balances the rights of suspects and the interests of justice. As part of the consultation process, we will consider what, if any, additional information it would be appropriate to require police forces to collect.The College of Policing published in March 2014 a set of principles for the police to apply to the management of bail. This set out a 28 day initial limit.

Illegal Immigrants

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been prevented by UK Border Force officers from entering the UK illegally in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of those people have been prevented more than once from entering illegally.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Vetting

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she has received on the time taken to process Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Vetting

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what average length of time has been taken to process a standard Disclosure and Barring Service check in each month of 2014.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Vetting

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have made a complaint of a delay in receiving their standard Disclosure and Barring Service check in the last 12 months.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Entry Clearances: Japan

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason Japanese citizens with indefinite leave to remain are experiencing difficulty in obtaining returning residents visas.

James Brokenshire: UK Visas and Immigration are unaware of any difficulties being experienced by Japanese citizens holding indefinite leave to remain in the UK in obtaining entry clearance as a returning resident. Applications are considered under the relevant immigration rule, and granted where appropriate.

Borders: Security

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of how many lorries entering the UK were screened by (a) body-scanning machines and (b) dogs in the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Aviation

Mr Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many private flights have submitted general aviation reports upon arrival rather than in advance in each year since 2010.

Mr Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions private flight operators have been fined for having inadequately documented people on board in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not hold data on the number of private flights which have submitted general aviation reports on arrival rather than in advance. Border Force has the capability to identify flights which have not submitted Advance Passenger Information (API), which informs part of the risk assessment process. Where a flight does not submit API it will automatically be classified asHigh Priority, and will likely be met by a Border Force Officer.The other requested data is not held centrally.

Poaching

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of poaching have been recorded in each of the last five years.

Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office does not hold this information centrally.The Home Office is responsible for police recorded crime statistics, consisting of indictable and triable-either-way offences and does not include summary offences, such as poaching.

West Africa: Ebola

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to screen for the Ebola virus passengers from West Africa who travel to the UK by train or ferry from (a) France and (b) other countries.

James Brokenshire: Ebola screening is being carried out by Public Health England. Decisions to carry out screening at specific ports have been taken by Ministers on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer. Screening has not been implemented at any ferry ports at this point. Screening has been operational at St Pancras International railway stationsince 24 October, identifying passengers who have travelled to the UK from the affected region through Paris or Brussels.

Demonstrations

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to restrict marches or demonstrations when groups of protestors repeatedly target the same place and where there is a demonstrable effect on local businesses.

Mike Penning: The police have a range of powers to manage the impacts of marches and demonstrations. Under the Public Order Act 1986, chief officers may impose conditions on assemblies and public processions to prevent serious public disorder, serious damage to property, or serious disruption to the life of the community.The Government has no plans to bring forward any further legislation on this issue. We will continue to work with the police to ensure they have the powers they need to maintain public order.

Burglary

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with police forces on the effects on burglary rates of the number of safety deposit boxes available to the public.

Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office has not held discussions with police forces on the possible effect on burglary rates arising from the availability of safety deposit boxes.However, the Crime Prevention Panel that we established in March this year, which brings together a range of experts to identify new ideas for preventing crime, is looking at issues around the safe storage of gold jewellery and other valuable items, both in people’s homes and in external storage facilities. We expect the findings from this work to be available in early 2015.

Passports: India

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average processing time is for first-time UK child passport applications submitted via the British High Commission in New Delhi, India.

James Brokenshire: All passport applications from persons resident in India are submitted via one of the visa application centres in India. The .gov.uk website sets out the expected turnaround times for applications from individual countries. These are provided as a guide so that the applicant is aware of the minimum period they may expect their application to take once it has been received by HM Passport Office in the UK. Applications from India are expected to take a minimum of 16 weeks. The time taken to process an individual case varies depending on the circumstances of the case, whether HM Passport Office needs to ask for further information or documents, or whether the photographs which accompany the application are rejected.

SAFERjobs

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding her Department has made available to SAFERjobs in each of the last four calendar years.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Offenders: Deportation

Mr Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of appeals lodged by foreign national offenders against their removal from the UK were based wholly or in part on (a) Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and (b) human rights grounds in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: Data on unsuccessful appeals against deportation is only held at the level of coordinated paper case files or within the notes section of the Case Information Database (CID). Such data is not aggregated in national reporting systems, which would mean these questions could only be answered through a disproportionately expensive manual case search to collate the data.We can provide the following data  Table 1: Foreign National Offender (FNO) appeals lodged, with outcomes, 1 January 2009 to 16 July 2014 Year appeal lodged200920102011201220132014Number of FNO appeals lodged1,7811,9081,7402,1472,4411,135Number of appeals allowed43362355567041610Appeals allowed on HR grounds2343633603781332   (1) The figures quoted have been derived from management information from the Home Office databases and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.(2) A Foreign National Offender (FNO) is defined as an individual with a criminal case, on the Home Office's Case Information Database.(3) Data relates to appeals lodged in the specified years. Appeal outcomes may have occurred in the same or subsequent years.(4) Appeals allowed on Human Rights grounds may have been granted under one or more articles.(5) Allowed appeals is based on the latest appeal outcome which includes those allowed at both the lower and upper tiers.(6) Data extracted on 16 July 2014.

Asylum: Syria

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to extend the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme.

James Brokenshire: Pursuant to the Minister for Modern Slavery and Organised Crime's answer of 14 July 2014: Column 494W, there are no plans at present to extend the scheme andwe will continue to work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the region to identify the exceptional cases whose needsare so profound that they need to be resettled to a country like the UK. Groups of Syrians are being brought to the UK on a regular basis under the scheme. We envisage relocating several hundred people under the scheme over the next three years and we are on course to do so. Given the scale of the crisis, we believe that humanitarian aid and ending the crisis are the most effective way to help the majority of refugees, and ease the burden on their host countries. The UK has donated £700 million to the relief effort in Syria. UK funding is helping hundreds of thousands of refugees.

Detention Centres

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration detention places were available at the end of each of the last five financial years.

James Brokenshire: The number of detention places available at the end of the last five financial years were as follows:2008-2009 - 2,6652009-2010- 2,6702010-2011- 2,7172011-2012 - 3,0692012-2013 - 3,1512013-2014 - 3,503The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

Detention Centres

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total capacity is of the UK immigration detention estate.

James Brokenshire: As of 11 November 2014, the Home Office had the capacity to detain 3,915 immigration detainees in the immigration detention estate. The information provided is based on management information only and has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply to National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.

Immigrants: Detainees

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the annual cost is of a migrant being (a) on an electronic monitoring device and (b) held in detention.

James Brokenshire: The estimated annual cost of a migrant being on an electronic monitoring device is £4968. The information provided is based on management information only and has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.The average annual cost of a migrant being held in detention is £36,026 and this is based on an average cost of £98.70 per day per detainee.

Immigrants: Detainees

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time spent in detention in immigration removal centres was in each of the last four years.

James Brokenshire: The table below shows the available information on length of detention, in bands, as at the last day of each calendar year for the last four years. The Home Office publishes length of detention figures in bands as average figures can be skewed by the small number of people detained for longer periods. People in detention by length of detention   As at last day of:2010201120122013A: 3 days or less17210598115B: 4 to 7 days45376774C: 8 to 14 days186191255326D: 15 to 28 days368421433521E: 29 days to less than 2 months556570701767F: 2 months to less than 3 months258325309350G: 3 months to less than 4 months201186233243H: 4 months to less than 6 months220170214180I: 6 months to less than 12 months265272241145J: 12 months to less than 18 months110627437K: 18 months to less than 24 months79363822L: 24 months to less than 36 months50271713M: 36 months to less than 48 months121333N: 48 months or more3420Total2,5252,4192,6852,796 Published figures on people detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers include those held in short term holding facilities, pre departure accommodation and immigration removal centres. Figures exclude those held in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants. The period of detention starts when a person first enters the Home Office detention estate. If the person is then moved from a removal centre to a police cell or Prison Service establishment, this period of stay will be included if the detention is solely under Immigration Act powers.The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within Immigration Statistics: April – June 2014, from the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Immigrants: Detainees

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the capacity of the UK prison estate for the purposes of immigration control is.

James Brokenshire: A Service Level Agreement between the Home Office and the National Offender Management Service allows for 600 spaces in the prison estate to be used for those held under immigration powers. This can be adjusted at an operational level by mutual agreement.

Immigrants: Detainees

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) irregular migrants and (b) asylum seekers are held in prisons under immigration powers.

James Brokenshire: As of 3 November 2014, there were 385 detainees held in prison solely under immigration powers. The information provided above is based on management information only and has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.It is not possible to distinguish irregular migrants from asylum seekers without the examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.

Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the budget is for the expansion of Campsfield House detention centre.

James Brokenshire: Expansion of Campsfield House is subject to a planning application. The budget for its expansion will not be ratified unless and until planning permission is granted and following the completion of subsequent tender negotiations with the selected contractor.

Foreign Workers

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the minimum payment for overhead line workers on the shortage occupation list has been decreased in each subsequent review since November 2011.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the 2011 Migration Advisory Committee's salary recommendations for overhead line workers on the shortage occupation list for inconsistencies in the salary requirements; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The appropriate salary requirements for Tier 2 workers are determined by the Home Office and are benchmarked against prevailing earnings for individual occupations, drawing on available sources of earnings data including the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. While the minimum salary requirement for overhead lines workers fell from £12.33 to £10.12 per hour between 2011 and 2012, the most recent changes to the Shortage Occupation List, effective from 6 April 2014, increased the annual earnings requirement for this occupation from £22,800 to £23,600 for experienced workers, and from £18,100 to £18,600 for new entrants. The Migration Advisory Committee has been asked by the Government to consider the continued inclusion of overhead lines workers on the Shortage Occupation List, and issued a call for evidence on 29 September 2014.

Immigrants: Detainees

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who have been held in immigration removal centres have been released on bail in each of the last four years.

James Brokenshire: There were 1,596 detainees released on bail on leaving detention in 2010, 1,820 in 2011, 1,944 in 2012 and 1,707 in 2013.Published figures on people detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers include those held in short term holding facilities, pre departure accommodation and immigration removal centres. Figures exclude those held in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants.The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within Immigration Statistics: April – June 2014, from the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Immigrants: Detainees

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people held in immigration removal centres have been deported from the UK to their country of origin in each of the last four years.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is shown in the following table: Year Total detainees Removed from the UK 2010 Total 25,959 16,577 2011 Total 27,181 16,836 2012 Total 28,575 17,246 2013 Total 30,030 16,933 (1) All figures quoted have been taken from published detention statistics (2) Total detainees are those detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers and exclude those in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants. (3) Figures relate to cases that have been deported, administratively removed or voluntarily departed from the UK. (4) Figures relate to the most recent period of sole detention. The period starts when a person first enters the Home Office detention estate. If the person is then moved from a removal centre to a police cell or Prison Service establishment, this period of stay will be included if the detention is solely under Immigration Act powers.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many buildings her Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Foreign Workers

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the Soc 2000 classification of overhead lines workers changed from 5243-line repairers and cable jointers to Soc 2019 5239-electrical and electronic trades not classified elsewhere; and what effect this change has had on the Shortage Occupation List.

James Brokenshire: This change was made solely due to the move from the SOC 2000 system to the updated SOC 2010 system. The SOC code system was updated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2010 to better reflect the current make-up of the UK labour market. A number of jobs were reclassified by ONS under the updated system.This change has had no effect on the inclusion of linesworkers on the Shortage Occupation List. The list was updated at the same time as the SOC 2010 system was applied to Tier 2, to reflect the new SOC codes. Overhead linesworkers remain on the list.

Radicalism

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to tackle the threat from radical Islamists.

James Brokenshire: We face a real and serious threat in the UK from international terrorism. The UK’s Counter Terrorism Strategy, CONTEST, sets out our approachto countering this threat and is based around the ‘4 Ps’ – Pursue: the investigation and disruption of terrorist attacks; Prevent: working to stoppeople becoming terrorists or extremists, or supporting terrorism/extremism; Protect: improving our protective security to stop a terrorist attack; and Prepare: working to minimise the impact of an attack and to recover from it as quickly as possible. Taken together these programmes of work tackle the threat to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism. On 1 September the Prime Minister announced the government’s intention to introduce new counter-terrorism powers in order to meet the threats posed by the current conflicts in Syria and Iraq. The forthcoming legislation includes measures to disrupt travel to Syria or Iraq and manage the risk posed by returnees. These measures are currently being developed and will be brought forward shortly.

Foreign Workers

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on recruitment and retention of voltage restrictions on overhead lines worker posts on the Shortage Occupancy Lists; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) assesses shortage occupations for the Government and provides expert advice and recommendations. The high voltage restriction was recommended by the MAC in March 2011 and the Government accepted the recommendation.In 2014 the Government commissioned the MAC to carry out a partial review of the Shortage Occupation List, including linesworkers in particular. The MAC has issued a public call for evidence which closes on 5 December 2014. The Government expects to receive its report on 30 January 2015 and will consider the MAC’s findings and recommendations carefully.

Radicalism

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to tackle extremism.

James Brokenshire: We continually look for opportunities to strengthen our response. As part of the Government’s Counter-terrorism strategy, Prevent has necessarily focussed on the hardest end of extremism. That is why the Home Secretary recently announced that the Home Office will assume responsibility for a new counter-extremism strategy that extends beyond terrorism.   The strategy will aim to better identify extremism in all its forms, confront it, challenge it and defeat it.

Offenders: Mental Illness

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve how the police deal with people with mental health problems.

Mrs Theresa May: The police are often the first service called on to respond to vulnerable people suffering from a mental health crisis, but they are not best-placed to provide the care such vulnerable people need. The Crisis Care Concordat and the introduction of street triage and Liaison and Diversion pilots are some examples of the way we are improving the response that people suffering from mental health problems receive from the police, and vitally, their healthcare partners.

Immigration Controls: France

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she next plans to meet her French counterpart to discuss immigration controls at Calais.

Mrs Theresa May: I last met the French Interior Minister bilaterally on 6 November, and we and our officials have a strongly collaborative relationship. It is in the interests of both the UK and France to work together to tackle the migration pressures at Calais. We are working closely and collaboratively with the French authorities on all matters of border security and cross border criminality to maintain the integrity of our joint border controls and we have regular discussions to support this work.

Offenders: Foreign Nationals

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many non-UK citizens living in the UK have been convicted of a criminal offence.

Karen Bradley: There are 11,000 foreign nationals in prison in England and Wales. In relation to foreign nationals not in prison, we are improving our ability to access their criminal conviction data in their home country; in particular those from the EU. In the last year of the previous administration the UK made and received only 7,000 requests for conviction data related to EU nationals, but last year under this Government 41,000 such requests were made and received. A huge improvement.

Immigration Act 2014

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to implement the Immigration Act 2014.

James Brokenshire: The Immigration Act received Royal Assent in May. Much has already been implemented. This includes new powers to revoke driving licences from illegal migrants, new duties on Registrars to report sham marriages and new Article 8 provisions that will require the Courts to give due weight to the public interest when deciding deportation and immigration cases raising the right to respect for private and family life. Measures which place restrictions on illegal immigrants accessing rented housing will go live in the West Midlands on 1st December.

Wales Office

New Businesses: Government Assistance

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many start-up business loans have been awarded in (a) Aberconwy constituency and (b) Wales to date.

Stephen Crabb: As part of our long-term economic plan, start-up loans have been offered to entrepreneurs to kick-start and grow their businesses. Two start-up loans have been awarded to businesses in the constituency of Aberconwy with a total value of £10,500. Across Wales as a whole, 602 start-up loans have been awarded with a total value of just over £3.8 million.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps his Department is taking to roll out broadband in rural constituencies in Wales.

Alun Cairns: Wales Office Ministers have met with BDUK to discuss the roll out of superfast broadband in rural areas in Wales following £69 million being provided to the Welsh Government to support their programme – Superfast Cymru. In addition to this, BDUK is currently piloting a £10 million project to test new ways of delivering broadband to hard to reach areas and this includes a project in Wales. It is Superfast Cymru, a joint Welsh Government/BT programme, which chose the areas that should be prioritised.

Procurement

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many contracts signed by his Department with suppliers of services or consultants include a clause providing that if the contract is abrogated by the Government, the provider or consultant will be compensated for lost income since 2010.

Alun Cairns: The Wales Office receives procurement services from the Ministry of Justice. The consideration given to such a clause in relation to commercial contracts will be in line with the Ministry of Justice’s policies and procedures.

Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how often his Department reviews its processes regarding the logging of emails, letters and other correspondence received; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Cairns: Wales Office procedures for logging of emails, letters and other correspondence are kept under regular review.My Department aims to respond to all correspondence within 15 working days.Guidance on handling correspondence from Members of Parliament, Peers, MEPs and Members of devolved Administrations can be found in the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61196/guide-handling-gov-correspondence.pdf.

Travel

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Alun Cairns: Information relating to Departmental spend on the Government Car Service is published in an annual Written Ministerial Statement. The costs for the Wales Office of using the Government Car Service in the years specified is shown below:2007-08: £85,4002008-09: £137,0002009-10: £150,504The cost of other car hire for ministerial travel, including some travel by Wales Office staff, was:2007-08:  £13,9392008-09:  £8,2972009-10: £4,683

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Alun Cairns: The Wales Office has not sold any buildings between 2010 and 2014.

HM Treasury

Welfare Tax Credits: Telephone Services

Andy McDonald: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to reduce the length of time taken to answer calls to tax credit helplines.

Andy McDonald: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce landline telephone numbers for calls to HM Revenue and Customs' helplines for working tax credits queries.

Mr David Gauke: Over the next few months HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will be migrating its existing telephone services to a new telephony platform. This will improve the way that the queuing systems work and, over time, will lead to reduced wait times. HMRC is also looking at a number of initiatives to improve customer service and wait times. These include: greater flexible working across HMRC to improve its response to particular peaks in demand; and investing in online and digital services for the future, opening up a wider variety of channels.   All HMRC helplines, including those for Tax Credit Helpline are landline numbers.

Economic Situation

Jonathan Edwards: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of a reduction in growth in the Eurozone on economic performance in (a) each region of the UK and (b) the UK as a whole.

Priti Patel: We are one of the most open economies in the world through trade and financial channels. The U.K. isn't immune to weakness in the euro area and instability in global markets, so we face a critical moment for our economy. Despite these headwinds Britain’s long-term economic plan is working, boosting economic security for Britain’s hardworking people. The economy is growing, the deficit is falling and there are record levels of people in work. Unemployment has fallen over the last year in every region of the UK and compared to the same period a year ago, the UK was the fastest growing major advanced economy (G7) in the first half of the year. But the job is not done and the biggest risk now to the recovery would be abandoning the plan that is delivering a brighter economic future.

Equitable Life Assurance Society

Alistair Burt: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will increase compensation payments to Equitable Life policyholders.

Andrea Leadsom: The Equitable Life Payment Scheme is focussed on making the remaining payments to eligible policyholders. The Government has sought to achieve fairness between Equitable Life policyholders and the taxpayers who must bear the cost at a time when the nation's finances are in a difficult position. We have no plans to re-open the design of the Scheme.

Revenue and Customs

David Wright: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the integration costs likely to be incurred when passing HM Revenue and Customs Aspire Contract Work to potential new suppliers.

David Wright: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Managing and replacing the Aspire contract, HC 444, published on 22 July 2014, if he will estimate the savings to the public purse that he expects to accrue from the improvement in HM Revenue and Customs IT service availability identified in that report.

Priti Patel: Over the 7 year period from 07/08 to 13/14 there is an annual c£3m productivity improvement a year on average. HM Revenue and Customs is in the process of preparing a Business Case to manage the end of the Aspire contract in June 2017. HMRC has one of the largest outsourced IT contracts in the world, enabling us to deliver a very wide range of services to more than 50 million customers. We are committed to delivering all this for the minimum cost to the taxpayer. As the NAO report recognises, the Aspire contract helped the department to collect almost £506 billion for the UK in the last year alone as well as improving services to customers. The NAO also recognises the progress that HMRC has made over the last two years in developing in-house technical skills, so that we are less dependent on external suppliers. For instance, we recently opened a new Digital Delivery Centre in Newcastle as part of our Digital transformation programme. We will continue to improve the performance of the contract over the next three years.

Revenue and Customs

David Wright: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the replacement for the HM Revenue and Customs contract will involve provision and a costing for support for tax credits.

Mr David Gauke: The Tax Credits systems will continue to be supported by HM Revenue and Customs until such time as all Tax Credits customers have migrated to Universal Credits. We also expect some retrospective work on Tax Credits to continue after the migration has completed for error/fraud/debt reasons. Costs related to providing this continuing support will be included in the contract replacement work.

Welfare Tax Credits

David Wright: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many apprentices were removed from their apprenticeship programme to cover tax credit renewal work in the last two weeks of July 2014; and where such apprentices were based.

David Wright: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff by grade and pay band were moved to the tax credit renewal work by HM Revenue and Customs business area in the last two weeks of July 2014.

Priti Patel: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) trained and deployed a flexible resource of just over 2000 staff from across the Department and deployed them in stages from 23rd June until the end of the Tax credit peak to ensure that the peak was a better experience for customers this year than it has been in earlier years. The Tax Credit peak this year was a huge team effort with staff of all grades including senior members of staff volunteering to help support our customers by taking telephone calls.   We do not have a record of how many of these additional staff were apprentices.

Fujitsu

David Wright: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data on UK taxpayers is held by Fujitsu; and where the relevant data centre is.

Mr David Gauke: Fujitsu provide data centre hosting for many of HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) IT systems at multiple UK locations but they do so on HMRC's behalf and do not hold any data outside of the Department's direct control. HMRC ensure all of our systems are appropriately controlled so that IT providers do not have routine access to taxpayer information. For security reasons we are unable to share the specific location of Fujitsu/HMRC data centres.

Universal Credit

David Wright: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the extra cost to HM Revenue and Customs arising from the time taken to implement universal credit.

Mr David Gauke: Any HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) costs that are a direct and clear consequence of supporting the introduction of Universal Credit are funded and met by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Universal Credit Programme and are included in the DWP Universal Credit Business Case.

Interest Rate Swap Transactions

Jim McGovern: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures are in place to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses, which have made losses as a result of having been sold inappropriate complex financial products including fixed rate swaps and embedded swaps, are fully compensated.

Andrea Leadsom: Any business which feels it has been mis- sold a fixed-rate loan should contact its bank’s customer complaints department. The FCA’s rules require the banks to properly investigate all complaints and, through ongoing supervision, the FCA monitors the banks’ complaint handling process. If a business is not happy with its bank’s response and the business has a turnover of less than €2 million and fewer than 10 employees, the business will be eligible to apply to have a further review conducted by the Financial Ombudsman Service Additionally, if a business believes a bank has acted unlawfully, they can seek to take action through the courts.

Working Tax Credit: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many households in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency are in receipt of working tax credits.

Priti Patel: The number of families in receipt of Working Tax Credits from the Parliamentary Constituency of Kilmarnock and Loudoun can be found on table 4 of the publication https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/305906/cwtc-geog-apr14.xls. This is the April 14 geographical publication and is the most recent relevant published information.

Social Security Benefits: Children

Rachel Reeves: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value is of benefit claims made by adults in the UK in respect of children resident in another country since 2010.

Priti Patel: The information is not available.

Tax Allowances: Compulsory Purchase

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for an extension under (a) section 152 and (b) section 247 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to reinvest gains following a disposal by way of compulsory purchase have been accepted in tax years (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2010-11 and (v) 2009-10.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for an extension under (a) section 152 and (b) section 247 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to reinvest gains following a disposal by way of compulsory purchase were referred to the Board of HM Revenue and Customs in tax years (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2010-11 and (v) 2009-10.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for an extension under (a) section 152 and (b) section 247 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to reinvest gains following a disposal by way of compulsory purchase that were referred to the Board of HM Revenue and Customs were accepted in tax years (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2010-11 and (v) 2009-10.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for an extension under (a) section 152 and (b) section 247 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to reinvest gains following a disposal by way of compulsory purchase have been made in the (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2010-11 and (v) 2009-10 tax years.

Mr David Gauke: This information is not held by HM Revenue and Customs.

National Insurance Contributions: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses in (a) Wales, (b) North Wales and (c) Aberconwy constituency are exempted from paying employer national insurance contributions.

Guto Bebb: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of employers in (a) Wales, (b) North Wales and (c) Aberconwy constituency who have not yet claimed employment and support allowance.

Mr David Gauke: A publication on take-up of the Employment Allowance was published on Friday 7th November and is available on the GOV.UK website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-allowance-take-up-2014-to-2015-mid-year-estimate.   This contains mid-year estimates for 2014-15 of the number of employers benefitting from the Employment Allowance including breakdowns by region, sector, constituency and employer size.   These statistics show that take-up has been very positive with 68% of all eligible business and charities across the UK having claimed the allowance so far.

Connaught Asset Management

Guto Bebb: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations his Department has received on the Connaught Income Series 1 Fund.

Andrea Leadsom: Treasury Ministers and officials receive regular correspondence on a wide range of issues. We cannot disclose details of specific representations.  The Government appreciates the real difficulties and the serious implications the Connaught issue has had for investors and is following the situation closely.

Shipping: Suez

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what contingency assessment his Department has made of the potential effects on the British economy of a closure of the Suez Canal to shipping.

Danny Alexander: The Treasury have made no assessment of the potential effects on the British economy of a closure of the Suez Canal to shipping.

Taxation: Treaties

Mark Durkan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the scope of the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on automatic exchange of taxpayer information recently signed in Berlin; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel: The Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) signed in Berlin is the instrument which will give effect to exchange under the new global standard of automatic tax information exchange by its signatories. At the signing event in Berlin 51 countries and jurisdictions signed the MCAA and we expect the other countries committed to implementation to do so shortly.   Implementation of the global standard will lead to step change in the international communities’ ability to tackle offshore tax evasion.

Pensions

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that people who wish to take advantage of greater flexibilities in their personal pensions from April 2015, can do so without significant financial penalties being imposed by their pension provider.

Priti Patel: The evidence we have suggests that high exit charges when transferring out of a pension are not common, and usually apply only when leaving a scheme early.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Climate Change

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the contribution of 23 October 2014, by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Official Report, column 333WH, what recent progress has been made by the cross-government climate change communications group; what work that group will carry out over the next six months; who the participants in that group are; and if he will make a statement.

Amber Rudd: The cross-government communications group is composed of working-level officials invited from all Departments. It last met in August. This network will help to promote unified and consistent messaging on climate change across the government’s communication channels. We do not expect to make a statement about this group.

Climate Change

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which Ministers in (a) his Department and (b) other Government departments have lead responsibility for communicating the facts about climate change and its effects on the UK; how much the Government has allocated to communications in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Amber Rudd: The Government takes the threat of climate change seriously and is committed to addressing its risks nationally and internationally. There are a number of Ministers across Government and devolved assemblies who have responsibility for communicating the facts about and impacts of climate change. Given the breadth of communications activities across Government and that they are not easily disentangled from other work, it is not possible to provide total costs for the communications elements, as this would incur disproportionate costs.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Amber Rudd: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) does not own the Freehold on any property and has therefore made no sales of this nature.The Department leases property as below: A) 3 Whitehall Place, London (whole building) – due for lease-break review in 2021 (private landlord) B) 55 Whitehall, London (whole building) – due for review in 2070 (Crown property) C) Kings Buildings, London (three floors) – due for review in 2015 (public landlord) D) One Victoria Street, London (part of one floor) – due for review in 2015 (other Government Department as landlord) E) Atholl House, Aberdeen (two floors) – lease due to expire in 2016 (other Government Department as landlord)As part of Cabinet Office property guidelines, Departments are required to vacate properties at the review date where possible. The preferred alternative is to share existing Government property with other Departments.DECC has followed this guidance where applicable and will seek to vacate properties (C) and (D) above within 2015.As the lease in property (E) expires in 2016 DECC have already started to consult with other Departments on the possibility of sharing existing buildings with ongoing leases in the city.

Procurement

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many contracts signed by his Department with suppliers of services or consultants include a clause providing that if the contract is abrogated by the Government, the provider or consultant will be compensated for lost income since 2010.

Amber Rudd: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold this information centrally and it can only be provided at a disproportionate cost. The Department’s standard terms and conditions include a cancellation clause which provides for termination upon giving the supplier 28 days’ notice. The Department endeavours to manage its relationship with suppliers fairly and complies with all contractual obligations applicable prior to any termination.

Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how often his Department reviews its processes regarding the logging of emails, letters and other correspondence received; and if he will make a statement.

Amber Rudd: DECC is committed to ensuring that correspondence is logged efficiently and in a timely manner. When correspondence to the Department is sent in via DECC’s official channels, it is processed by DECC’s central Correspondence Unit.The DECC Correspondence Unit conducts regular reviews of its correspondence handling processes (including logging of all correspondence) as part of its ongoing work on continuous improvement, with weekly opportunities for feedback from staff. The DECC Correspondence Unit also meets with Fivium, (the database provider) at least once a year to review enhancements or upgrades, and whether current processes are fit for purpose.

Coal Gasification: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) undertaken on the amount of coal resources in Wales available using gasification technology.

Matthew Hancock: The Department has not commissioned any recent research on coal resources in Wales available using gasification technology. There are currently two conditional underground coal gasification licences in Wales, one in the Dee Estuary, the other in the Loughor Estuary and both issued to Cluff Natural Resources plc by one of DECC’s non-departmental public bodies, the Coal Authority.

Cabinet Office

Lord Strathclyde

Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what issues the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments took into account when considering the appointment of Lord Strathclyde to an advisory role with URS Corporation.

Mr Francis Maude: In accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, under the Business Appointment Rules for Former Ministers, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments gives its advice direct to the former Minister concerned. Details about the Advisory Committee’s advice are published on its website once an appointment or employment has been taken up or announced.

Procurement: EU Law

Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what measures he has taken to publicise the Government's consultation on implementing the 2014 EU Procurement Directives.

Mr Francis Maude: The Government’s consultation on implementing the 2014 EU Procurement Directives was published on the GOV.UK web site between 19 September and 17 October 2014:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transposing-the-2014-eu-procurement-directivesAn e-mail alert was issued to our large stakeholder community, and the consultation was also publicised in specialist journals such as Supply Management.

Stress

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will estimate the average sickness rate owing to stress among staff in (a) state schools, (b) NHS hospitals, (c) GP practices, (d) local authorities, (e) police forces, (f) fire authorities and (g) prisons in each of the last three years.

Mr Francis Maude: This information is not held centrally.

Minimum Wage: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency were paid the minimum wage in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Minimum Wage
(PDF Document, 95.05 KB)

Crime: Birmingham

Mr Liam Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the crime rates for Birmingham East police area for (a) drug-related crime, (b) robbery, (c) burglary, (d) anti-social behaviour and (e) gang-related crime were in each year from 2009-10.

Mr Liam Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the overall crime rate was for Birmingham East police area in each year from 2009-10.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Crime Rates
(PDF Document, 104.59 KB)

Childbirth: Yorkshire and the Humber

Andrew Percy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of births, where one or both parents were born outside the UK, there were in (i) Brigg and Goole constituency and (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Births
(PDF Document, 188.78 KB)

Electronic Government

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2014 to Question 211904, whether the public sector providers he has not received representations from includes the Post Office.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2014 to Question 211904, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including a public sector provider of identity assurance in the Gov.uk Verify programme.

Mr Francis Maude: Government has decided not to provide identity assurance services directly but set the standards for providers, allowing people to choose which provider they wish to use. Government is not directly involved in verifying or authenticating people’s identity or storing identity data.The Post Office is an identity provider on the GOV.UK Verify framework.

Government Departments: Procurement

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the decision to issue the Invitation to Trade for the framework ICT Services for Education by Crown Commercial Service in .docx and .xlsx formats was in compliance with his Department's Open Standards policy.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the requirement in the Invitation to Trade for the framework ICT Services for Education recently issued by Crown Commercial Service for responses to use Word format is in compliance with his Department's Open Standards policy.

Mr Francis Maude: Departments are implementing the Government’s open standards policy and moving to the Open Document Format.

Community Development

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2014 to Question 213129, when he plans to place the interim report in the Library.

Mr Rob Wilson: A copy of the report was placed in the Library of the House on 6 November 2014.

Civil Servants: Pensions

Derek Twigg: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants who have retired in the last 12 months and applied for their pension have experienced delays in receiving payments.

Derek Twigg: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the reason is for the time taken by MyCSP to answer telephone calls from customers.

Derek Twigg: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average time taken is to make a first pension payment to a recently retired civil servant.

Mr Francis Maude: MyCSP was spun-out as a mutual joint venture in May 2012. Mutualising MyCSP was good for staff, taxpayers and for the service they provide to pensioners. MyCSP will almost halve the cost of administering pensions within a decade, while improving services which were variable before. Employees of MyCSP have benefited through dividends, which they have received in both years since mutualisation. Staff survey figures show rising staff engagement and a decline in sickness absence.Legacy problems were inherited from the previous administrator. MyCSP experienced exceptionally high volumes of calls following the transfer of pensioner payroll administration to MyCSP from the previous supplier. Call volumes have now declined substantially and MyCSP have switched all available resources to dealing with outstanding cases.The overwhelming majority of 658,000 existing pensioners were paid accurately and MyCSP is working to reduce delays and clear any remaining backlog of work as quickly as possible.MyCSP processes all pension awards by the due date where it holds all the necessary information from the employer and member needed to calculate the award.Between 01 October 2013 and 30 September 2014 MyCSP processed 17,380 retirement awards. Of those, 16,865 (97%) were processed on time. In some cases, delays resulted from incorrect information being provided to MyCSP.

Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how often his Department reviews its processes regarding the logging of emails, letters and other correspondence received; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Francis Maude: My Department aims to respond to all correspondence within 15 working days. Business processes are regularly reviewed to ensure we meet this target.Guidance on handling correspondence from Members of Parliament, Peers, MEPs and Members of devolved Administrations will be updated in due course.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61196/guide-handling-gov-correspondence.pdf

Harassment

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many harassment cases were reported to the police in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Harassment Cases
(PDF Document, 104.6 KB)

Department for Culture Media and Sport

Broadband: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2014 to Question 200020, what reports he has received of political bias in the prioritisation of the broadband rollout programme in Wales; if he will hold discussions with the Welsh Government on this matter; and if he will ensure that all areas in Wales benefit equally from the broadband rollout programme.

Mr Edward Vaizey: World class broadband coverage across the UK is a priority for this Government. Funding for all local projects, including the Wales project has been allocated to achieve maximum coverage and value for money from the public investment.At the end of September 2014 276,320 premises had been reached.The Superfast Cymru project is set to achieve 93% superfast broadband coverage by the end of 2017.

Procurement

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many contracts signed by his Department with suppliers of services or consultants include a clause providing that if the contract is abrogated by the Government, the provider or consultant will be compensated for lost income since 2010.

Mrs Helen Grant: Since 2010 DCMS have signed no contracts with suppliers of services or consultants which include such a clause.

Museums and Galleries

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to support free entry to museums and galleries; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Government is committed to the policy of free admission to the permanent collections of the museums and galleries sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which is a condition of grant-in-aid. The Government has limited reductions in funding for national museums in order to maintain free entry, and to protect their world-class collections and front-line services.

Buildings

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the freehold value of Blythe House is.

Mr Edward Vaizey: DCMS is working with the Government Property Unit to assess the current use of Blythe House as the Government seeks to provide a long term, cost effective solution for museum storage and conservation facilities, as well as to improve access to the national collections. Property valuation information is however commercially sensitive and any disclosure would adversely affect the Government’s future ability to negotiate efficiencies and achieve value for money to the taxpayer.

Mobile Phones

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the decision-making process was for setting the duration of his Department's consultation Tackling partial not-spots in mobile phone coverage, published on 5 November 2014; and whether different durations were considered during the consultation planning stage.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Government has been in discussions with stakeholders on tackling partial not-spots since the Spring. The current consultation will build on those discussions and give a wide range of people, and organisations, a reasonable opportunity to comment on the Government’s proposed options.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Mrs Helen Grant: DCMS has not sold any buildings between 2010 and 2014.

Football

Sir Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to implement the conclusions and recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee's Seventh Report of Session 2010-12, HC 792-I, on football governance; and what further such steps it plans to take.

Mrs Helen Grant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Arts: Nottinghamshire

Robert Jenrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Arts Council funding has been allocated to Nottinghamshire in each of the last five years.

Mr Edward Vaizey: In each of the last five years, the Arts Council has allocated the following funding (from both Grant in Aid and Lottery funding) to Nottinghamshire: 2009/10Grant in AidLotteryTotalNottingham£4,929,745£2,131,706£7,061,451Nottinghamshire£149,010£511,066£660,076Total£5,078,751£2,642,772£7,721,527 2010/11Grant in AidLotteryTotalNottingham£5,606,663£528,969£6,135,632Nottinghamshire£128,938£306,628£435,566Total£5,735,601£835,597£6,571,198 2011/12Grant in AidLotteryTotalNottingham£4,405,300£1,797,566£6,202,866Nottinghamshire£140,098£279,682£419,780Total£4,545,398£2,077,248£2,077,248 2012/13Grant in AidLotteryTotalNottingham£4,957,558£3,253,897£8,211,455Nottinghamshire£750,943£268,230£1,019,173Total£5,708,501£3,522,127£9,230,628 2013/14Grant in AidLotteryTotalNottingham£4,566,810£3,471,927£8,038,737Nottinghamshire£931,412£240,260£1,171,672Total£5,498,222£3,712,187£9,210,409

Nuisance Calls

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the level of complexity of the system for people complaining about nuisance calls; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of consolidating that system under one body.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Tackling nuisance calls is a priority for the Department. We continue to improve signposting information and advice for people wanting to make a complaint. This is mirrored across both regulators websites:http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/phone/tackling-nuisance-calls-and-messages http://ico.org.uk/for_the_public/topic_specific_guides/marketing/calls. Earlier this year, we published our Nuisance Calls Action Plan on 30th March 2014 to enforce existing regulations effectively. Our achievements to date and the work that is currently underway can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nuisance-calls-consultation. Additionally, on 25 October 2014, we published our consultation that proposes to lower or remove the legal threshold for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to take action against offending organisations. By lowering or removing the legal threshold, the ICO will be able to issue more monetary penalties to organisations in breach of the regulations. The ICO also continues to work collaboratively with Ofcom as evidenced by their joint Action plan, last updated on 3 March 2014: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/silent-calls/joint-action-plan

Department of Health

Abortion

Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to clarify the law on abortion for the purpose of gender selection; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The Government has consistently stated that abortion on the grounds of gender alone is illegal and repeated this in new guidance entitled Guidance in Relation to Requirements of the Abortion Act 1967 - for all those responsible for commissioning, providing and managing services provision which was published on 23 May this year. All independent providers are required to adhere to this guidance as part of their licensing conditions. A copy of this guidance is attached. 



Abortion Guidance May 2014
(PDF Document, 128.2 KB)

Ophthalmic Services

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support behavioural optometry services.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Free National Health Service funded sight tests are available to eligible groups with the purpose of detecting signs of injury, disease or abnormality and giving an individual a written prescription for glasses or referring them to a doctor for further examination. Funding is also available under the NHS voucher scheme for the provision of spectacles with a prescription power to correct a defect of sight.   Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local population. This could include services over and above the NHS sight test, such as behavioural optometry. Where positive National Institute for Health and Care Excellence technology appraisal guidance does not exist, it is for NHS commissioners to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence.

Hearing Impairment: Children

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the quality of children's audiology services in England.

Dr Daniel Poulter: We are advised by NHS England that the Improving Quality in Physiological Services programme, run jointly by the United Kingdom of Accreditation Service and the Royal College of Physicians, is raising the profile of accreditation and quality assurance schemes for physiological diagnostic services. A mapping exercise is underway to identify those services which are accredited or working towards accreditation which is an integral improvement step on the pathway to full accreditation as a mark of quality.

Fractures

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals in England have a linked fracture liaison service.

Norman Lamb: The provision of fracture liaison services (FLS) is a matter for local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). Information concerning the number of hospitals in England which presently have a linked FLS is not collected centrally.   NHS England supports the FLS model recommended by the International Osteoporosis Foundation and the National Osteoporosis society and recognises this model as best practice. NHS England is working with CCGs to support them to develop appropriate local services and services are steadily improving.

Hepatitis

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on the implementation framework for hepatitis C improvement.

Jane Ellison: Departmental officials have been in regular dialogue with Public Health England, NHS England and the Hepatitis C Coalition regarding the role of the Department in delivering the implementation framework for hepatitis C improvement.   NHS England and Public Health England are the lead organisations for drafting and delivering the implementation framework for hepatitis C improvement, co-ordinating with the various elements of the health and care system. The Department is ready to support them in that role.

Prescriptions

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescribing errors have occurred in (a) NHS acute trusts, (b) GP surgeries, (c) pharmacies and (d) nursing homes in England in each month since May 2010.

George Freeman: The attached tables list the number of incidents described as prescribing errors reported to the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) by month:   Table 1: Prescribing errors reported as occurring in acute/general hospitals in England April 2010 to March 2014 Table 2: Prescribing errors reported as occurring in general practitioner (GP) surgeries in England, April 2010 to March 2014 Table 3: Prescribing errors reported as occurring in community pharmacies, April 2010 to March 2014 Table 4: Prescribing errors reported as occurring in nursing homes in England, April 2010 to March 2014   These are counts of reported incidents (any unintended or unexpected incident which could have, or did, lead to harm for one or more patients receiving National Health Service-funded healthcare) and do not represent the number of incidents which actually occurred. Whilst acute hospitals routinely uploaded reported incidents to the NRLS, routine reporting from GP surgeries, care homes, and community pharmacies is less widely established.   We do not routinely collect data on all prescribing errors; however, the General Medical Council has undertaken discrete studies to assess the prevalence of prescribing error. These found a mean error rate of 8.9 errors per 100 medication orders for NHS acute trusts. Prescribing or monitoring errors in General Practice were detected for one in eight patients, involving around one in 20 of all prescription items. 



Reported Prescribing Errors 2010-14
(Word Document, 56.49 KB)

Prescriptions

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of prescribing errors in hospitals.

George Freeman: NHS England is involved in a range of initiatives to improve all aspects of medication safety, including prescribing error. These include setting up a network of dedicated Medication Safety Officers (MSOs) in organisations providing National Health Service-funded care. Over 345 MSOs are now in place and have responsibility for medication safety reporting and learning from errors, including prescription errors.   NHS England and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued a Patient Safety Alert Improving medication error incident reporting and learning  in March 2014, and potential Patient Safety Alerts are under development that will aim to improve the safe prescribing of glucose test strips, naloxone and low molecular weight heparin.   NHS England has commissioned the development of a new Medication Safety Thermometer, which is a ‘point prevalence’ survey tool available for providers to help them measure the prevalence of certain medication incidents in their care and so facilitate quality improvement projects to tackle leading causes of harm. Details of the Medication Safety Thermometer are available at:   http://www.safetythermometer.nhs.uk/   NHS England is also involved in an initiative led by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to develop interventions to reduce prescribing errors, as part of their Paediatric Care Online programme.   Significant investment has been made by the Department, Health Education England and NHS Education for Scotland over the last four years in the development of a National Prescribing Safety Assessment. This is a joint initiative by the Medical Schools Council and the British Pharmacological Society involving the UK’s leading experts in prescribing, clinical pharmacology and medical assessment. It is intended to enhance patient safety by ensuring that all new graduates entering the first year of Foundation training have achieved a basic standard of practice.

Dementia

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding his Department provides for research on (a) the potential links between vitamin D deficiency and dementia and (b) prevention of dementia.

George Freeman: Research on all aspects of dementia, including prevention, is a high Government priority. Investment in dementia research by the Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has more than doubled from £12.6 million in 2009-10 to £26.8 million in 2013-14.   The NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for the South West Peninsula has funded research on potential links between vitamin D deficiency and dementia. Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School conducted the study with researchers in France and the United States and the findings were published in the journal Neurology in August this year. The research concluded that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a substantially increased risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.   The NIHR is funding a range of research relating to dementia prevention through its programmes and research infrastructure. For example, the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre is carrying out research to improve early recognition of individuals at risk of dementia or stroke and test pragmatic interventions to improve prevention. The NIHR South London and Maudsley Dementia Biomedical Research Unit is researching risk stratification models for prediction of dementia onset, derived in patient cohorts. The NIHR is also funding a study aiming to find a more efficient way of detecting people with cognitive decline, particularly in memory, greater than that expected for an individual’s age and education level but that does not interfere notably with activities of daily life. This research will facilitate future large-scale, pragmatic intervention studies directed at preventing or slowing decline into dementia.   The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including dementia prevention. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

Pregnancy

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take to increase awareness among potential parents and pregnant mothers of the importance of a healthy lifestyle for the health of the unborn child.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Start4Life is the Government’s social marketing programme encouraging the adoption of healthy behaviours amongst parents-to-be and parents with children up to age five. During pregnancy Start4Life encourages healthy eating, physical activity, taking supplements, giving up smoking, avoiding alcohol and looking after yourself.   In addition to the web-site, Start4life publishes a suite of leaflets, and provides access to more than a hundred videos with National Health Service approved content.   The Start4Life Information Service for Parents was launched on 18 May 2012, and provides new and expectant parents with emails and texts with high quality NHS advice and information based on the stage of pregnancy and the age of the child. As of the start of November the service has signed up more than 390,000 people.

NHS England

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who in NHS England is responsible for the oversight and performance of operational delivery networks.

Jane Ellison: The national guidance on Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) was published by NHS England on 21 December 2012– “Developing Operational Delivery Networks: The Way Forward”.   This guidance set out that with effect from 1 April 2013, ODNs will be commissioned by specialised commissioners in line with national service specifications, and hosted by agreed lead providers within the geographical area. The providers are held to account via the contract between themselves and the NHS England Local Area Team. The contract includes a provision that an annual report be produced. This is overseen and managed by each key contact within the Local Area Team. The policy development is led by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh in the NHS England Medical Directorate.

Hospitals: Parking

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the NHS patient, visitor and staff car parking principles are acted on by NHS trusts.

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to publish guidance on hospital parking charges and the NHS patient, visitor and staff car parking principles.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The NHS patient, visitor and staff car parking principles, published on 23 August 2014, ask NHS hospitals to publish:   - their parking policy; - their implementation of the NHS car parking principles; - financial information relating to their car parking arrangements; and - summarised complaint information on car parking and actions taken in response.   We expect this information to be displayed prominently on trust websites so that patients and the public can hold the NHS locally to account where unfair parking charges and practices remain in place.   In addition, NHS England will collect information about NHS compliance via the annual Patient Led Assessments of the Care Environment. The results will be published so that patients can identify those trusts who are falling short.   Guidance to support the NHS in delivering the principles is scheduled for publication in March 2015.

Care Quality Commission

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many registered manager applications were (a) received by the Care Quality Commission and (b) approved within (i) one to two weeks, (ii) three to four weeks, (iii) five to six weeks, (iv) seven to eight weeks, (v) nine to 10 weeks, (vi) 11 to 12 weeks, (vii) 13 to 14 weeks, (viii) 15 to 16 weeks, (ix) 17 to 18 weeks, (x) 19 to 20 weeks, (xi) 21 to 30 weeks, (xii) 31 to 52 weeks and (xiii) more than a year in each quarter of the last three years.

Norman Lamb: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. The CQC has provided the following information.   Table 1 shows the number of application processes the CQC has received and undertaken by start date for each fiscal quarter of the last three years.  Table 1Number of Application Processes by Start Date Fiscal Quarter 2012-132013-142014-15 34123412 4,3724,7474,7294,8255,3096,7105,7185,065  Notes:These figures show applications which have been validated meaning they have both been processed by the CQC’s National Customer Service Centre (NCSC) and Registration Inspectors. The same applicant may be counted more than once in these figures, as a new process is assigned to each Regulatory Activity the applicant is applying for initially, and for each Location and Regulated Activity the applicant is applying to have added to their registration subsequently. These numbers also include processes which did not result in completion, due to the applicant having withdrawn their application or the process having been terminated by a Registration Inspector, for example when the applicant was asked to re-submit. It is not possible to provide data for the first two quarters of 2012-13 as it is incomplete. Table 2 shows the number of application processes the CQC has completed by start date for each fiscal quarter of the last three years. These figures show completed applications where a Notice of Decision was approved by a Registration Manager. As at 10 November 2014, CQC has 35,991 registered managers at 38,056 active locations Table 2 Number of Application Processes Completed by Start Date Fiscal Quarter 2012-132013-142014-15Time taken to Completion34123412One to two weeks3304903792792212376761Three to four weeks901917889905764919315263Five to six weeks9381,0661,0009731,1741,364649490Seven to eight weeks7947368711,0141,2221,291798488Nine to ten weeks32547151252159971764441811 to 12 weeks12314519123523626532818213 to 14 weeks74731301231741071746815 to 16 weeks455773639987904317 to 18 weeks33273144442839319 to 20 weeks12121713243230 21 to 30 weeks35283332255357 31 to 52 weeks1227132246  Over a year14 1Total3,6234,0534,1394,2254,5865,1063,1912,016 Notes:The same applicant may be counted more than once in these figures, as a new process is assigned to each Regulatory Activity the applicant is applying for initially, and for any subsequent Location and Regulated Activity that the applicant applies to have added to their registration. The figures include applications which resulted in a successful registration, as well as applications which resulted in the registration being refused by the CQC. However, owing to the way in which this information is held on the CQC records system, it is not possible to provide separate figures for these two outcomes.It is also not possible to provide data before 1 October 2012 as it is incomplete. The difference between number of application processes started and the number of application processes completed can be accounted for through a number of factors. A number of applications will be withdrawn by applicants. Some processes will be terminated by the Registration Inspector (e.g. re-submission of an application). The CQC records system does not break down application processes as approved, refused and withdrawn.

Skipton Fund

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications to register with the Skipton Fund have been refused on the grounds that applicants have not been infected with chronic hepatitis C for longer that six months; and how many such decisions have been overturned on appeal since the inception of that Fund.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will bring forward proposals to remove the requirement that people infected with hepatitis C prior to September 1991 must prove that they have chronic hepatitis C for longer than six months in order to register with the Skipton Fund.

Jane Ellison: The Fund has rejected 193 applications on the grounds that the claimant cleared the virus naturally within six months of infection, four of which have been overturned on appeal. There are no plans to change the eligibility criteria for Skipton Fund stage 1 payments.

Skipton Fund

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his Answer of 28 November 2012 to Question 129969, how many recipients there have been of £25,000 Skipton Fund top-ups who had previously received a Skipton Fund stage two payment of £25,000.

Jane Ellison: To date, there have been 787 (out of a possible 886) top-up payments made by the Skipton Fund to individuals in the United Kingdom (or their estates if the individuals have died) who had previously received a Skipton Fund stage two payment of £25,000. There are currently 99 unpaid top-up payments to individuals (or their estates) who had previously received a Skipton Fund stage two payment of £25,000. These 99 remain unpaid because out of date contact details have meant that efforts at contacting these individuals were unsuccessful.

Skipton Fund

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when ongoing Skipton payments for Stage 2 HCV infectees were introduced in 2011, what efforts were made to contact all Skipton registrants who had previously received Stage 2 lump sums to inform them that new ongoing payments were available to them to apply for.

Jane Ellison: When ongoing Skipton payments for Stage 2 hepatitis C infectees were introduced in 2011, the changes to the scheme were advertised on the Skipton Fund website and everybody who registered a telephone number with the Fund was telephoned on multiple occasions. Three ring-round exercises have been carried out since the announcement but many telephone numbers were found to be defunct or had new owners. Where a person could not be traced via telephone or email, the Skipton Fund wrote to the doctor who completed their stage 2 application form.

Blood: Contamination

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have applied to register with (a) the Skipton Fund and (b) MFET Limited since the inception of those bodies; and how many such applications have been (i) accepted and (ii) rejected.

Jane Ellison: According to the Skipton Fund database, as at 30 September 2014, 6,871 people had registered with the Skipton Fund in the United Kingdom since its establishment in 2004. Of those, 6,181 submitted completed application forms for assessment. Of the 6,181 applications received, 5,181 were approved and 701 were declined; the remaining 299 are unresolved applications pending responses to requests for further information.   When MFET Ltd was established in 2010, all 393 living Macfarlane Trust and Eileen Trust primary beneficiaries automatically became MFET Ltd beneficiaries. It is not possible to be rejected by MFET Ltd since registration is automatic for everyone who is successfully registered as a primary beneficiary with the Eileen Trust or Macfarlane Trust. Since MFET Ltd was established, two new applications to be beneficiaries of either the Macfarlane Trust and Eileen Trust have been accepted, and one has been rejected.

Blood: Contamination

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2014 to Question 210955, what funding his Department has allocated to (a) the Macfarlane Trust, (b) the Caxton Foundation, (c) the Skipton Fund, (d) the Eileen Trust and (e) MFET Limited for 2014-15.

Jane Ellison: For 2014-15, the Department’s allocation for the Macfarlane Trust is £2,200,000 and the Eileen Trust is £100,000. The United Kingdom Health Departments have collectively allocated £2,380,000 to the Caxton Foundation for 2014-15, of which £2,000,000 is from the Department.   Payments from the Skipton Fund and MFET Ltd are set by the UK Health Departments and the Departments provide sufficient funds to pay all approved claims.

Translation Services

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will confirm how much his Department has spent on translation services since January 2011.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Departmental translation and interpreter spend from January 2011 is provided in the following table. Departmental Spend (excluding VAT)  CategoryYearTotalInterpretation and Translation costs2011£3,6532012£5,8312013£4,0672014£31,951Interpretation and Translation Total £ 45,502   The figures are taken from the Department’s Business Management System where they are jointly categorised as translation and interpreter services. Information is based on all calendar years from January 2011 and up to 30 September 2014. The significant increase in spend in 2014 can be primarily attributed to the translator and associated costs for the Global Action Against Dementia Summit.

Health and Wellbeing Boards

Mr David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Health and Wellbeing Boards since their introduction.

Norman Lamb: Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) have been in place in every upper tier and unitary local authority since April 2013. In that time, the Department has implemented a range of programme support, direct engagement and evaluation, in order to maintain an ongoing overview of the development and effectiveness of HWBs.   The Department has funded the Local Government Association (LGA) to deliver a development and improvement programme for local health and wellbeing systems, with a strong focus on supporting HWBs’ development. An independent evaluation of both the programme and the current state of development and effectiveness of HWBs was published in April 2014. This can be found on the LGA website at the following link. A further independent evaluation is due for publication in December this year.   www.local.gov.uk/documents/10180/11493/Great+expectations+-+A+review+of+the+Health+and+Wellbeing+System+Improvement+Programme/d8c4b00e-c3fc-4598-9e87-e5a719df2274   Departmental officials have also reviewed independent evaluation, notably the King’s Fund study Health and Wellbeing Boards: One Year On published in October 2013; and the published reports of the intensive peer challenge visits delivered in local authorities as part of the LGA development programme.

NHS: Drugs

Mr Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will issue a direction under Regulation 7 of the National Institue for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (Constitution and Functions) and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (Functions) Regulations 2013 to exempt clinical commissioning groups from the requirement to comply with NICE Technology Assessment Guidance TA155, in order that NHS commissioners can make their own decision on whether to issue the drug Avastin and Lucentis.

George Freeman: We have no such plans. The Government believes that drugs and treatments that are established as clinically and cost effective should be available to patients. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published technology appraisal guidance on Lucentis (ranibizumab) and Macugen (pegaptanib) for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (TA155) that recommends Lucentis as a clinically and cost effective use of National Health Service resources for the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration meeting specific clinical criteria.   Under Regulation 7, commissioners are legally required to make funding available so that clinicians can prescribe treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance to patients. This does not prevent commissioners from supporting the use of additional treatment options if they believe they would be of benefit to their local population.   Avastin (bevacizumab) is not licensed for use in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. Clinicians are able to prescribe drugs outside their marketing authorisation where they believe it is clinical appropriate, based on an assessment of their patient’s individual clinical circumstances.

Mental Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of Public Health England's budget is spent on children and young people's mental health.

Jane Ellison: This information is not available in the format requested as it is not possible to disaggregate Public Health England’s (PHE) specific expenditure on mental health between expenditure on adults and expenditure on children and young people.   In addition much of the work done by PHE, for example promoting physical activity, has benefits for both mental and physical health, and therefore many of PHE’s budget lines will contribute to improving mental health.

Medical Treatments

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library copies of responses to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence consultation on Value-Based Assessment.

George Freeman: The comments received by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in response to its consultation on value based assessment are published at:   www.nice.org.uk/About/What-we-do/Our-programmes/NICE-guidance/NICE-technology-appraisal-guidance/Methods-of-Technology-Appraisal-Consultation   A copy of the comments is attached. 



Response to consultation on Value-Based Assessment
(PDF Document, 3.37 MB)

Medical Treatments

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the consultation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on Value Based Assessment, published in March 2014, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that progress is made on securing a wider debate on the appraisal of new medicines.

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will implement the recommendation of the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence to set a timetable for a wider discussion of the way in which treatments are developed, evaluated and supported for adoption in the NHS.

George Freeman: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) proposals arising from its consultation on value based assessment will require careful consideration with NICE, NHS England and other stakeholders. We will be discussing with NICE the further work it has proposed over the coming months.

Buildings

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many buildings his Department sold in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The number of buildings sold by the Department since 2010 is detailed below.   YearNumber of Buildings Sold2010-1152011-1272012-1342013-1472014-151

Vaccination: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment the Government has made of the uptake of vaccines containing porcine gelatine by children from families who observe religions that restrict the consumption of pork products.

Jane Ellison: Information about the religion of children being vaccinated, or their families, is not routinely collected by Public Health England (PHE). Therefore, it is not possible to make a national assessment of the uptake of vaccines containing porcine gelatine by children from families of a religious background that restricts the consumption of pork products.   Whilst broad acceptance has been gained from faith groups for the use of porcine gelatine in non-oral medicines (see PHE’s website www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-and-gelatine-phe-response)   PHE recognises that there is still some uncertainty amongst some groups about the acceptability of the nasal flu spray.   PHE is therefore conducting an exercise to assess the impact of factors such as religion, deprivation and ethnicity on uptake of influenza vaccination in children in 2013/14 in a limited number of geographical areas. This work is currently being reviewed externally and results will be available in spring 2015.

Nutrition

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when Public Health England plans to publish revisions to the eatwell plate.

Jane Ellison: The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition published a draft report on Carbohydrates and Health in June which indicated a need to revise dietary reference values for sugars and fibre. The responses to the consultation on the draft report are being reviewed.   Public Health England is reviewing the potential implications of the report for wider healthy eating messages, including the eatwell plate. Should current dietary reference values be revised and subsequently accepted by Government, it is anticipated any revision to the eatwell plate will be published in 2015.

Ophthalmic Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that people diagnosed with sight loss or vision impairment have access to an eye clinic liaison officer.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Eye clinics and their staffing including eye clinic liaison officers are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups on the basis of local assessments of need. NHS England is aware of the issues surrounding sight loss and has recently consulted on how care in this area can be improved, through “Improving eye health and reducing sight loss – a call to action”. NHS England is currently considering the responses received to the consultation and expect to respond in the coming months.

Diabetes

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, under what cost headings the £24 million expenditure on Type 1 diabetes was spent in 2012-13.

Jane Ellison: This information is not held centrally.

General Practitioners: Tendring

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure improved out-of-hours GP provision in Tending.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Out of hours general practitioner (GP) provision in Tendring is commissioned by North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as part of the out of hours service for the north east Essex district. The CCG advises that to assist in meeting the high demand for the service, the number of advanced nurse practitioners has been increased to complement and enhance GP cover. The out of hours service is currently running effectively, meeting 19 of the 20 performance targets around timing and ease of access to the service. The provider is narrowly missing the required standard for assessing urgent cases within 60 minutes, but it is implementing a detailed action plan to meet this target, which is being monitored by the CCG.   The CCG and its partners are always looking at opportunities to improve the service further. For example, the service has recently begun to use tablet computers to capture real time feedback from patients on the service they have just received. This feedback is used to identify ways to further improve the GP out of hours provision.